HPSC cancels Hindi exam for asst prof posts amid claims of paper leak, tampering
The cancellation came amid allegations of question papers being tampered with, security lapses, and the question paper being leaked on the day of examination.
The exam was held on Sunday, and thousands of candidates from Haryana and other states appeared for it at various examination centres in Panchkula city. In a notification on its website, HPSC asked candidates to await an announcement regarding a fresh date for the exam.
HPSC had advertised 2,424 posts of assistant professors for 26 subjects in Haryana colleges. After receiving applications, HPSC conducted the selection exams in May. On Sunday, the examination for physics, chemistry, Hindi, and other subjects, was held.
Sources in HPSC said there were technical lapses in the printing of question papers, along with some issues related to substandard seals on question papers given to candidates.
However, they dismissed any tampering or incidence of paper leak. "Soon after the exams, we received hundreds of emails about technical mistakes. We put these before subject experts, who endorsed the same. As errors (largely printing ones) were beyond correction, we decided to cancel the exam.
There was no tampering, lapse, or secrecy breach," the official claimed.
Blaming the Saini-led BJP govt and the HPSC for the leak, the opposition leaders termed it as a glaring example of "parchi-kharchi" (wrongdoings).
"It was not just Hindi, but the same shortcomings were observed in other exams. Candidates who appeared in the exam for Hindi and other subjects are now prepared to move the Punjab and Haryana high court. There are also allegations that six out of a set of 24 question papers were found to be unsealed or opened," said Shweta Dhull, an activist who monitors the recruitment processes.
INLD state president Ram Pal Majra said the cancellation had exposed the BJP govt's functioning.
Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala termed the alleged leak as a betrayal of lakhs of educated youth in Haryana. "There is hardly any recruitment that is not being challenged in court or has not faced allegations of wrongdoing," Surjewala pointed out.
HPSC is also planning to cancel the written exam for English held last year, which was challenged by several candidates after more than 33 mistakes were found in the paper.
Not the first time
There have been numerous instances of question papers being leaked in various examinations conducted by the HPSC in the past five years.
HPSC cancelled the written exam for selection of 81 dental surgeons (Class-2) in the health department, which was originally scheduled for Sep 26, 2021 due to "irregularities and allegations of corruption in the examination process". The state vigilance bureau had arrested four persons, including deputy secretary of HPSC Anil Nagar, on charges of corruption.
HPSC has also decided to cancel the written examination for recruitment of assistant professors of English held in 2024 after the candidates complained of glaring technical mistakes.
Apart from the paper leaks, writ petitions have been filed against the govt and the HSSC by candidates. In the most recent case, the court has struck down the marks for socio-economic criteria, making many candidates fear loss of their jobs.
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