Meanwhile, several questions have arisen after the leakage of the question paper of the Patwari-Lekhpal recruitment test. One important question being asked is how the mobile phone was allowed inside the Highly Confidential department’s rooms which had been ultimately used to click pictures and forward them outside. It may be recalled that Section Officer Sanjeev Chaturvedi who clicked the pics and forwarded them to his wife Ritu had been given the confidential responsibility of securing the papers for the first time, though he had been posted in the Confidential Section for quite some time. Sanjeev Chaturvedi, who was caught by STF on the charge of leaking Patwari recruitment paper, had sent 380 questions to his wife from there. He is being interrogated by the STF now. That the paper could get leaked from within the premises of Uttarakhand State Public Service Commission raises question of how things are being taken so casually. Earlier, one official from Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) was also found to have leaked the question paper from within the UKSSSC. The State Public Service Commission needs to conduct a thorough investigation of its own employees in the wake of the latest incident and transfer the officials in large numbers to ensure greater transparency.
Public Service Commission in a fix over other recruitments post question paper leak
By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 14 Jan: After the leak of question paper related to Patwari-Lekhpal recruitment from the office of Uttarakhand Public Service Commission, the Commission has sought information from the Special Task Force about more recruitments. Following the latest development, the Public Service Commission seems to be in a fix over several crucial issues. If any suspected case of copying is indicated by STF in the recruitment tests, related to the posts of police constables and forest guards, then the commission may decide to cancel these tests and order reconduct of the tests.
According to the information released by the State Public Service Commission, the result of the Police Constable Recruitment Examination held on 18 December is currently in the final stage of being concluded. After the paper of Patwari recruitment was leaked, the chairman of the commission Dr Rakesh Kumar sent a letter to the STF on Friday.
Kumar has asked whether any action by the STF is in progress even in the recruitment of police constables. Until the STF clearance is given, the result of Police Constable Recruitment will not be declared. In addition, on 22 January, the Forest Guard Recruitment Examination is scheduled to be conducted by the Commission at more than 600 centres. On this recruitment also, the commission has sought clearance from STF. Unless and until clearance is given, the commission will not take a decision on this examination.
It may be recalled that on 18 December, the commission had conducted the police constable recruitment examination at 413 centres in the state. A total of 1,30,426 candidates had appeared for the test. On 22 January, Forest Guard Recruitment Examination is scheduled to be conducted at more than 600 centres across the state for which admit cards have already been issued to more than 2,10,000 candidates.
The State Public Service Commission has said that evidence is awaited from the STF on the AE, JE and Lecturers’ recruitments held earlier. The commission will take its decision on the basis of the STF report. For the time being, the process of these recruitments will also be stopped. Significantly, along with the paper leak of Patwari-Lekhpal recruitment, STF sources had also confirmed the paper leak of three other recruitments.