Why this matters
Exam seasons bring a flood of forwarded messages, screenshots and videos that claim to announce vacancies, dates or results. Some are mistakes and some are deliberate. Recruitment boards have even issued public notices rebutting fake news about recruitment, which shows how common the problem is.
Step 1: find the official website
Type the website address yourself or use a bookmark made from a trusted source. Government recruitment bodies use domains ending in gov.in or nic.in in most cases, although some portals use other addresses linked from the official website. Do not click links in messages without checking where they lead.
Step 2: look for a notice, not a claim
A genuine announcement has a notice or press note with a reference number, a date, a signature or issuing office and details of the process. Screenshots without a notice number or source are weak evidence.
Step 3: compare the details
Does the number of vacancies, dates and fee match the notice?
Does the notice mention an application link on the official site?
Is the organisation name spelt correctly?
Step 4: check the date
Old notices are often recirculated as new ones. Look at the date of the notice and see whether a newer corrigendum or postponement has replaced it. Commissions sometimes postpone exams and announce new dates later, so a date repeated on social media may be out of date.
Step 5: be wary of money requests
Genuine recruitment does not require you to pay an agent or an individual for a seat or to send money to a private account. Application fees, when charged, are paid through the portal in the official application flow. If someone promises a job for a fee, treat it as fraud and do not pay.
Step 6: protect your data
Do not share OTPs, passwords or document scans with anyone who contacts you by phone or messaging apps claiming to be from a board. Use only the official portal to upload documents.
What to do if you find a fake notice
Do not forward it.
Report it to the relevant board through its official contact channels.
Tell friends who may have received it.
Keep a short list of trusted sources
Bookmark the websites of the bodies whose exams you target and check their notice pages at fixed times each week. This habit is faster and safer than relying on forwarded messages.
Three quick checks you can do in a minute
First, search the notice title on the official website yourself and see whether it appears in the latest notices list. Second, check the date and see whether a later notice has changed the plan. Third, read the web address in any link before you click, and look for small spelling changes in the name. If any of these checks fails, wait before you share the message. Genuine news is always findable on the official page, usually within hours of publication.
Teach your circle
Most fake notices spread through trusted friends and family groups. If you discover that a forwarded message is false, reply with a short correction and the official link. Over time this habit protects younger aspirants who do not yet know where to look, and it keeps the study group focused on real information.
A note on sources
This is general preparation guidance written by the ExamPragati editorial team. It is not a recruitment notification. Pattern, eligibility and dates differ between exams and years, so confirm them in the current official notice before you plan your calendar.
