SSC exams: Candidates continue protests, demand CBI inquiry into alleged mass cheating
According to latest updates, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) will issue the notification for the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Examination 2018 on May 5, 2018.
The SSC CGL 2018 notification was going to be released on Friday but has been delayed as the examination authority is yet to conduct CGL 2017 Tier-III examination. The Tier-III exam was initially scheduled to be held on March 31, but it’s now set for some time in May 2018. The exact date of the exam is not known.
Reason for delay in SSC CGL 2018 exam:
SSC CGL has a four-tier examination system and tier I and tier II are Computer Based Examination, while in tier III and IV, job applicants take up a descriptive paper and a computer proficiency test or skill test.
The CGL exam 2018 has been delayed as the SSC is yet to complete CGL 2017 process. Earlier the Commission conducted CGL 2017 Tier-II re-examination due to glitches and allegations of the leak. The CGL 2017 Tier II exam was scheduled for February 17 and February 21, but on Feb 21, candidates alleged that papers had been leaked. Now, CGL 2017 Tier-III examination is expected sometime in May 2018.
The CGL is one of the biggest exams in the country and is used to recruit for important positions these include Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer, Assistant Section Officer, Assistant/ Superintendent, Inspector of Income Tax, Central Excise Inspector, Preventive Officer, Junior Statistical Officer, and Assistant Enforcement Officer.
The SSC CGL 2017 paper leak case:
The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to consider the representation of students challenging the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) examination through private vendors and pass a reasoned order in six weeks.
The top court asked the petitioners to approach the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) secretary within a week and give appropriate representation.
A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao said if necessary, the DoPT secretary along with members of the SSC, shall give oral hearing to the petitioners to raise their grievances.
"A reasoned order shall be passed within six weeks dealing with the issues raised by the petitioners and containing suggestions for elimination of the problems," the bench said. It posted the matter for further hearing in the second week after the court reopens following summer vacation.
During the hearing, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner Shantanu Kumar, said the SSC Combined Graduate Level Examination was being outsourced to a private vendor, which has allegedly been accused in connection with the Satyam scam.
He said there was high probability of cheating and malpractices as the private vendor entrusted for the conduct of examination by SSC has further outsourced it in some centres.
The bench observed that the basic problem for the smooth conduct of examination was at the ground level and said it wanted a reasoned order either accepting or rejecting the suggestion or reforming it.
On March 20, the apex court had dismissed a PIL seeking a CBI probe into the SSC paper leak case after the Centre informed it that the probe agency has already started investigating it.
The leak of an examination paper of the SSC, a government body which conducts examinations to recruit staff at multiple levels in various ministries and departments, was allegedly leaked, had led to protests from job seekers.
Amid the protests, the SSC had recommended a CBI probe into it following the demands by the protesting job aspirants.
(With inputs from agencies)
