Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia has asked Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal to conduct a fresh examination for vacant posts under the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL), in view of serious irregularities marring the written examination which was held on Sunday.
There were allegations of rampant mismanagement of examination with reports of leackage of the question papers ahead of the examinations and circulation of the same through Whatsapp, where more than 2 lakh youths appeared.
“Since the examination process was marked by leakage of questions on social media, unfettered use of mobile phones by certain candidates and even credible reports of some candidates being provided with the answers beforehand, the government should go for organizing the examination afresh,” said Saikia.
Referring to arrest of two invigilators and one examinee over the leak of question paper, Saikia said that this indicates that the examination process was not clean.
He also mentioned that even before the examination was held, the media reported that the process had been compromised due to nepotism and sale of jobs by a powerful coterie in the Power department.
Saikia also referred to similar controversies during recruitment examinations for posts under the forest & environment department and the panchayat & rural development department, pointing out that this was the third successive tainted recruitment process under the government headed by Sonowal.
“Although you repeatedly keep assuring the people of Assam that your government will provide a clean administration and keep corruption at bay, it has been observed that whether it be syndicates or government recruitment, the government headed by you is well on its way to break all previous records of corruption,” Saikia said.
Saikia observed that Sonowal had remained unmoved by widespread protests against the previous tainted recruitment processes.
“Many deprived candidates were forced to move court as a result of the government’s failure to take remedial action. I, therefore, demand that this examination which has done injustice to over two lakh unemployed youths should be scrapped and a fresh examination should be held. Further, punitive action must be taken against those responsible for the farcical examination, regardless of the position they may occupy,” Saikia said.