RANCHI: Jharkhand governor, Santosh Gangwar has written a letter to the Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), seeking an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the recently held Jharkhand Staff Service Commission Graduate Level Combined Competitive (JSSC- CGL) examination.
The governor has also attached evidences submitted by a delegation of student who met with the governor on Wednesday, September 25 and demanded an inquiry into the allegation of irregularities in the said examination.
The development has arrived on the heels of JSSC releasing the answer key of the examination held on September 21-22 at around over 800 centres across the state. This comes amidst a student delegation met with the officials of the commission, seeking an inquiry into the allegations on Thursday, September 26.
The student delegation also submitted evidences of irregularities to the officials, requesting hold on release of answer key till the completion of inquiry. However, the commission released the answer key on late Thursday evening, escalating the student’s anger who have now threatened to pacify their protest.
Notably, protest erupts at several places after several candidates who have appeared in the JSSC- CGL Examination held on Sunday, complaint about the alleged tampering with question papers at a few examination centre.
Around 20 candidates appearing for the examination in Dhanbad’s Saint Anthony School centre protested against the question papers provided to them alleging that the papers received by them are not fully sealed and the first page of the papers are tattered. The candidates emphasised that a video recording should be done to the question papers received by them, however when the same was not agreed upon they reportedly submitted blank answer sheets.
In Hazaribagh, candidates appearing for the examination at Jack and Zeal centre also labelled similar allegations. Here, the candidates alleged that the question papers received by them in the second sitting was not sealed and the serial numbers of the question papers were mismatched. However, the Deputy Commissioner of Hazaribagh, Nancy Sahai in a press briefing later clarified, that all the question papers provided to the candidates were fully sealed.
The commission in a press conference held on Wednesday, stated further, that mere opened seal of question papers cannot be connected to paper leak allegations and the commission will conduct an enquiry into the matter if evidences linked to any irregularities are provided.
Now after the student submitted the evidences, the commission has constituted a committee to look into the allegation and submit its report within seven days. Significantly, the commission has earlier called a meeting on the matter on Monday, September 30.
BJP promise to conduct a CBI inquiry into allegations of paper leak
Meanwhile, the protest of the students over alleged irregularities has prompted sharpen reactions from the opposition leaders, who while calling for a thorough inquiry into the matter have slammed the government over the allegations of irregularities.
Addressing a press conference on the matter, Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand State assembly, Amar Kumar Bauri while questioning the commission over exact repetition of questions asked in the JSSC-CGL examination 2019, 2021 and 2022 said, that the same has defamed the image of the state in the country. He further alleged that “I too had received an answer key of the questions, hours before the commencement of the examination.”
JSSC- CGL परीक्षा को लेकर नेता प्रतिपक्ष अमर बाउरी का प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस, सरकार पर उठाए कई सवाल@amarbauri @BjpJharkhand #bjppressconference @yourBabulal #jssccglexam pic.twitter.com/vOrrjYT8Af
— The Followup (@The_FollowUp) September 27, 2024
Bauri emphasised, that we will go to the people’s court and seek blessings from them and if given an opportunity, we will recommend for a CBI probe into the matter in the first cabinet meet. We will make sure to open the gates of prison for those who are involved in this.
It is to be noted that the state government has already been on receiving end over suspension of internet facilities during the JSSC-CGL examinations. Hearing on a PIL over the suspension of internet recently, the Jharkhand High Court had come down heavily on the government, observing that the state government banned the entire internet facility in the state, after submitting before the court that only mobile internet services will be affected.
