Bhubaneswar: After flaws were detected in two recruitment examinations held Sunday by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) and Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC), Odisha’s Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj assured Monday that stern action would be taken and the guilty would not be spared.
The minister said examinations are a gateway to shaping careers, and any negligence or carelessness in their conduct is unacceptable. He added that the departments responsible for conducting the examinations would conduct detailed investigations into the lapses.
He also highlighted that the government had recently introduced and passed a Bill in the Legislative Assembly to enforce stricter actions against irregularities in examinations.
It can be mentioned here that OPSC and OSSC faced outrage when errors were detected in two major recruitment exams Sunday. The mistakes in the Civil Services Main-2023 and Excise and Traffic Sub-Inspector (SI) exams have infuriated candidates, who said such lapses are unacceptable given the exams’ importance to their careers.
Also Read: Flaws in OPSC, OSSC exams spark outrage
According to a source, the OPSC’s Civil Services Main-2023 Anthropology exam, held from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm, had a critical flaw. Questions from second paper appeared in the first and vice versa. Candidates were dismayed by the mix-up.
OPSC acknowledged the error online but has not outlined remedial steps. The commission directed candidates to proceed with the exam using the provided question-cum-answer booklet. The OPSC has since assured all concerned that appropriate steps will be taken to address the situation while maintaining the integrity of the exam.
The source added that the OSSC’s Combined Main Examination for Excise and Traffic SI posts omitted syllabus sections like General English, Odia, and General Studies.
After complaints, OSSC admitted the oversight, expressed regret, and proposed a supplementary exam. Candidates can submit suggestions for remedies via OSSC’s website or email by May 4, 2025, but scepticism persists.
Examinees, who prepared extensively, are outraged. “Our future hinges on these exams,” one candidate said. Social media, including X, reflect widespread frustration, with claims that OSSC included irrelevant questions from unrelated exams. Both commissions’ errors, despite apologies, have eroded trust.
PNN