SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, March 18: A day after a stir over reports that question papers for the Combined Civil Services preliminary examinations were allegedly leaked in Jamtara, Chatra, and Dhanbad, Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Chairperson Neelima Kerketta sent a letter to the State Chief Secretary and the DGP to take action against those who spread such rumours.
Papers not leaked: Kerketta
Maintaining that the question papers were not leaked, Kerketta, a 1994 batch Maharashtra cadre IAS officer, said that the State’s top brass had been asked to act against the culprits under The Jharkhand Competitive Examination (Measure for Control and Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, enacted last year.
She said that the DCs and SPs of the three districts are identifying those who spread such rumours, which created a sense of uncertainty among the aspirants. She added that they will act accordingly under the law.
Kerketta alleged that a stir was created purposefully to frustrate our plan to hold the examination peacefully in a fair manner.
Anti-cheating law enacted last year
Notably, the Jharkhand Government has enacted an Anti-cheating law, which provides for the strictest punishment for engaging in unfair means during competitive examination by the candidate or even harsher punishment for those who try to rig the examination process by leaking questions or extend ‘out of the way’ help to candidates appearing in competitive examination.
The bill was cleared during the state assembly’s Monsoon session in August last year.
Jamtara DC’s report
The Jamatra DC and the SP, in their report, are said to have told the JPSC Chairperson that the centre displayed in the viral video did not exist in Jamtara.
Over 3.5 lakh students
Over 3.5 lakh students took the 11th, 12th, and 13th Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examinations, held across Jharkhand on Sunday.
“We have yet to get a complete report on how many of them took the test,” Kerketta said.
What happened?
Candidates created a stir in Jamtara, Chatra and Dhanbad, alleging that the question paper was leaked.
The aspirants protested at JJS Degree College Centre in Mihijam, Jamtara. The students left the exam hall and started alleging that the question paper was leaked.
In Chatra, some candidates also created a stir at the examination centre located at Upendranath Verma College, Chatra. The students alleged that the seals of the question paper were already open.
JPSC candidates also created a stir in Putki Government High School, Dhanbad.