Sikkim Services Exam Controversy

BIJOY GURUNG

All prelim exam candidates allowed for mains: SPSC

GANGTOK,: All candidates who appeared in both sessions of the recently held prelims for the posts of under secretaries, accounts officers and DSPs have been allowed to appear for the mains examination by the Sikkim Public Service Commission (SPSC).

A notice issued by the SPSC on Thursday informs that decision aims to give an equal opportunity to all aspiring candidates and is in line with the report of the internal enquiry committee and the report of the high empowered committee.

The State government had constituted the high-empowered committee for enquiring into the alleged malpractices during the SPSC preliminary exam for Sikkim Services (combined recruitment) held in January 16. The SPSC had conducted written exams for the 62 posts of under secretaries, accounts officers and DSPs where around 8,000 candidates took part.

However, controversy soon erupted with allegations of lapses in conduct of the exams at various centres, erroneous questions and missing answer keys. The government responded by forming a high empowered committee headed by the additional chief secretary, Education department on January 23 to probe into these allegations and submit a report within 21 days.

An internal enquiry was also conducted by the commission.

Criticism was mounting on the SPSC over the delayed follow up action after formation of the enquiry committee. Concerns were also expressed that further delay could crush dreams of those particular candidates crossing the age limit.

In its notice, the SPSC shares that the preliminary exam is meant to serve as a “screening test only” and marks obtained in this exam will “not be counted” for determining the final order of merit of candidates.

“As such, in order to place all the aspiring candidates at an equal footing and to provide them an equal opportunity as well as to avoid further loss of time of the candidates, the Commission, in line with the report of the Internal Enquiry Committee as well as the report of the High Powered Committee, has now decided to allow all the candidates (who appeared in both sessions of the above examination) to appear for the Mains Examination,” said the SPSC.

Date for the mains examination will be notified in due course of time, said the SPSC.

All candidates who appeared for both sessions of the preliminary examination were directed to submit their optional subjects in the SPSC website by May 27.

Meanwhile, the physical endurance test of the candidates who have applied for the DSP posts is to be conducted after completion of the mains examination as per the ratio notified by the commission, it was notified.