BPSC 67th Paper Leak: Bihar Public Service Commission’s (BPSC) 67th Combined Preliminary Examination paper was leaked before the exam. The exam was conducted at 1,083 centres. Commission secretary Jiut Singh has ordered an inquiry into the question paper leak.
It is reported that the question papers were made viral a few minutes before the exam through messaging services WhatsApp and Telegram before they hit the social media platform.
Over six lakh candidates had applied for Sunday’s first phase of the exam, which was to shortlist candidates for 802 posts in Bihar’s civil services. Candidates must be at least graduate and above 20 years of age to apply.
Those who clear the preliminary exam will be eligible to appear in the second round of examinations conducted for the recruitment of medium level officers like Deputy Superintendents of Police, Sub-Divisional Officers, Block Development Officers and State Revenue Officers.
The inquiry committee headed by Jiut Singh and comprising two deputy secretaries of the commission, Manoj Kumar and Kundan Kumar, has been given 24 hours to report its findings.
“Seeing the gravity of the situation, the Commission immediately announced an inquiry by a three-member committee, which is to submit its report within 24 hours for further action. The matter will also be referred to the cyber cell of Bihar Police to find out where the examination center originated and to what extent it affects the examination. The news of the paper leak had come at 12.06 pm, while the examination had already started by then.
The exam, which was earlier scheduled to be held on January 23, was to be held on May 7, but was postponed by a day as it clashed with the CBSE Class 12 exams.
Singh said the commission’s preliminary information indicated that one of the four sets of question paper (set C) had leaked moments before the three-hour exam began at 12 noon.
He said, “The information was related to C-set and when verified it was found to be true. But as soon as the information was received, the examination started. At the examination centres, thorough searches are conducted and candidates are not allowed inside any mobile or electronic gadget,”
The final decision will be taken after the submission of the report by the three-member committee and inputs from the cyber cell on the extent to which the questions went viral. The matter will be referred to the cyber cell to get to the bottom of the matter, as this is the first time that the BPSC exam papers have been leaked.
Singh said over six lakh candidates had applied for the exam this year as compared to 4-4.5 lakh who applied for the exam this year, forcing him to use several new centres.
He further said- “The seals of the question papers are opened half an hour before the scheduled start of the examination. The exam started at 12 noon and the question paper of set C seems to have leaked after 11.30 pm, when the seal of question papers was opened from any centre. It will be examined. Chances are it has happened from one centre,”
After exiting the exam centers many candidates got to know about the paper leak and got disappointed. Protests also took place outside the examination centers at some places regarding the paper leak.