Gujarat govt cancels recruitment exam after ‘paper leak’ protests

Mass protests by applicants broke out in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in November and December, after CCTV footage emerged which showed a few applicants allegedly using cellphones in the exam. Applicants also alleged that the question paper was leaked and its answer set was circulated on whatsapp even before the exam was conducted on November 17. Opposition parties, including the Congress, held demonstrations in Gandhinagar during the winter session in the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha.

Gujarat Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja announced on Monday evening that a special investigation team (SIT) formed by the state government to probe allegations of irregularities submitted its report in 10 days and based on the report, the government decided to cancel the exam. A release from the government said, “The SIT had submitted its report today in the given stipulated time of 10 days, stating that primarily it has come to the conclusion that the paper got leaked.”

“To ensure that no injustice is meted out to those applicants who had worked hard for the exam, the government has decided to cancel the Bin Sachivalaya Grade 3 exam. The state government received at least 10 mobile phones and CCTV footages, which had proof of irregularities in the exam, which was then assigned to the SIT. The SIT had submitted the phones and CCTV footage to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). The FSL had assisted the SIT in probing the allegations and through CCTV footage, instances of applicants using cell phones during exam and communicating with each other was found. Based on the findings of the SIT, it was decided that the exam is to be cancelled,” said a statement from the office of the Home Minister.

The state government also announced strict action against the applicants found using unfair means during the exam. “A total of four first information reports (FIRs) have been filed in Banaskantha (2), Gir Somnath (1) and Surendranagar (1), where applicants were seen using cell phones. Such applicants will be disbarred from appearing in government exams for next three years. Similarly, applicants found speaking to each other during exam, will also be barred from taking government exams for the next three years. Moreover, the state government will also take action against exam centre organisers, supervisors and class observers wherever irregularities have been found. Such institutes where irregularities during exam was found will be blacklisted from holding exam centres in future. We have also filed an FIR in Gandhinagar for the leak of question paper and it will be probed by the Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Ahmedabad Crime Branch,” the Home Minister’s office said.

Welcoming the move, Paresh Dhanani, the leader of opposition in Gujarat Vidhan Sabha said, “The state government had played with the fate of lakhs of applicants who had worked extremely hard for the exam. I would like to congratulate Congress Gujarat president Amit Chavda for his relentless efforts to expose the scam in Bin Sachivalaya exam.”