After Assam, Arunachal Pradesh hit by recruitment exam paper ‘leak’

Chief Minister Pema Khandu says none found involved would be spared, irrespective of position or status

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. File | Photo Credit: Ritu Raj Konwar

After Assam, Arunachal Pradesh has been hit by an alleged recruitment exam paper leak.

Several organisations, including the Anti-Corruption Foundation, have demanded the suspension of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission’s (APPSC) chairperson, secretary and other subordinate officers for the reported leak of the question paper ahead of the examination for the post of assistant engineer (civil) almost a month ago.

They have also demanded a “transparent” probe into the leak.

On 28 August, a candidate for the examination lodged a first information report at the Itanagar police station, stating that the question papers for the APPSC exam held on August 26 and 27 were leaked.

Two persons were arrested on September 11, a day after the case was registered. Three more were arrested on September 16.

Members of the organisations demanding a probe said the arrests were “an eyewash”. Among the arrested are a candidate and a teacher.

Taking a stern view of the reported leak, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the State government will not tolerate any kind of corruption. “Anyone found involved will not be spared,” he said.

“It is indeed frustrating that, despite our sincerest efforts to streamline the recruitment process, incidents like this occur out of the blue. I assure the candidates and the people that action will be taken against the guilty and the point of leakage investigated and rectified, so that it is not repeated in the future,” he said in a statement issued Friday evening.

Assam was also rocked by an alleged scam in the recruitment for 26,000 Grade III and Grade IV posts, the exams for which were held in August amid mobile internet shutdown.

The State police arrested Victor Das, who runs a coaching centre in Guwahati, after he took to Twitter alleging question paper leak and the involvement of some officials and former MLAs in selling some posts for ₹3-8 lakh.

The opposition parties had slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government for “stifling the truth”. State Congress president, Bhupen Kumar Borah said: “One expects this government to accuse anyone of extortion and fanning communal passion if he or she points a finger at it.”

The Gauhati High Court on September 16 granted interim bail to Mr. Das, also a vlogger.