SSC exam paper leak: Anna Hazare meets protestors; Cong dubs it another Vyapam scam

NEW DELHI: As the protest by SSC aspirants against the alleged leak of examination paper for the combined graduate level exam – SSC CGL tier 2 exam – held for nearly 9,372 vacancies intensified, anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Sunday met the candidates in Delhi. Hazare joined the protestors at around 8 o' clock in the morning.

Delhi: Anna Hazare met Staff Selection Commission (SSC) aspirants who are protesting against the alleged paper leak of #SSC & are demanding a CBI investigation pic.twitter.com/KSdr0M1v3C

— ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2018

The students have been protesting outside the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) office at CGO complex in Lodhi Road since February 27, 2018, seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the alleged paper leak in the examination held from February 17 to 21, 2018.

Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, the Congress on Saturday dubbed the SSC paper leak scandal as another Vyapam scam and demanded a thorough CBI probe into the matter.

Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said the government should immediately agree to all the demands of the agitating students and order a CBI probe into the paper leak.

In a statement, he said students from across the country were protesting on the streets of Delhi for days to highlight the corruption in the SSC recruitment exam. Surjewala also asked whether the Narendra Modi government at the Centre was selling jobs, instead of providing job opportunities to the youth.

The SSC had cancelled the exam that was slated to be held on February 21, 2018. The commission later said that this exam will be re-conducted on March 9, 2018.

Screenshots of the question paper of the exam along with answers were found circulating on social media.

Taking note of it, the SSC had issued a statement saying, "The commission has received a few screenshots in the afternoon of 23.2.2018 of quantitative ability (paper-1) apparently taken on 21.2.2018 at around 12.30 pm belonging to a candidate namely Sachin Chouhan (roll number 2201281955). These snapshots are being circulated after about 48 hours of completion of the CGLE (Tier-II) Examination, 2017 and appear to be manipulated and would have no significance on the sanctity of the examination. Earlier also, at around 10.15 am on 21.2.2018, the commission received an information that some of the answer keys of paper I, to be held at 10.30 am on that day of the examination, were being circulated on the social media/e-mails. The commission investigated into the matter and found that the claims were absolutely bogus and baseless."

Exams for recruitment of non-gazetted staff for various central ministries and subordinate departments is conducted by the SSC. Lakhs of aspirants take various examination held by the commission.

SSC chairman Ashim Khurana, in an official statement, later said, "In continuation with the earlier discussions held with the protesting candidates of CGLE 2017, a delegation of the candidates met with the Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Pension and Public Grievances... After hearing the delegation, it was directed by the Hon’ble minister that though the paper 1 of 21.2.2018 was cancelled by the SSC on account of technical issues, to inquire into the allegation of leakage of this cancelled paper, the evidence being provided by the candidates be taken on record and if found substantiated, the matter will be referred to CBI for further enquiry."

The statement further said, "Else, the crime branch of Delhi Police which is already seized of the matter upon a referral by the commission, shall complete its inquiry in a time-bound manner and submit its report for further necessary action."

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari had also met the protestors and said he would take up the issue with the minister concerned. He spent an hour with the candidates, who are demanding a CBI inquiry into the matter, to listen to their grievances, read a Delhi BJP statement.

Tiwari said the agitating candidates belong to various states and he met them on 'humanitarian' grounds. Tiwari assured the aspirants of taking up the issue with the minister concerned, and a fair inquiry and action, it read.

(With inputs from agencies)