Close on the heels of the recruitment-for-money scam in the TNPSC , a major fraud in the recruitment of police constables, prison warders and firemen by the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board has surfaced with at least 1,000 candidates, who had cleared the written examination/physical efficiency test and qualified for appointment under the Sports Quota, found to have submitted “ineligible” certificates.
The TNUSRB had notified the recruitment of 8,888 Grade-II Police Constables, Grade-II Jail Warders and Firemen late last year.
About 3.25 lakh candidates appeared for the written exam in 32 districts. The physical efficiency test was then held in 15 centres for 47,000 candidates who passed the examination.
Nearly 8,800 candidates who qualified for appointment were called for certificate verification. However, during this process it was found that at least 1,000 candidates, claiming appointment under the 10% sports quota, had submitted “ineligible” certificates.
The associations that issued the sports certificates were not recognised by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) and hence not competent to issue such certificates.
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“We sent out emails to all the 1,000 candidates saying that their certificates were ineligible/ not recognised by the SDAT and hence they were not entitled to be considered for recruitment under the sports quota,” a senior police official told The Hindu on Saturday.
“Their candidature was brought under the General or Reserved Category as applicable. Of the 1,000, about 200 candidates, whose cut-off marks fell within the range set for reserved categories, became eligible for appointment. As many as 800 others became ineligible, ” he added.
Parrying questions on whether one sports association or centre had issued the certificates, a senior police official in the Police Headquarters said a special team was analysing the veracity of the certificates and the antecedents of the issuing associations.
“It was like some unknown sports association certifying that the candidate played a match in a neighbouring State and hence represented Tamil Nadu in an inter-State tournament. Appropriate legal action — both against the associations and candidates — will be taken if it is found that the certificates were issued on payment of money with an intention to commit fraud,” the official said adding that no decision had been taken yet on referring the matter for criminal investigation.
However, a allegation that many candidates who were coached in a particular centre in Vellore had the TNUSRB examination was verified and found to be baseless.
Tamil Nadu Uniformed Service Recruitment Board exam under way at a centre in Madurai on August 25, 2019.
“A detailed analysis of the OMR conning sheet and answer scripts was done to check any suspicious pattern. The allegation was not true. We verified and found that the Centre is giving free coaching and physical training to underprivileged candidates and collects a nominal fee only of they get appointment,” the official said
After the process of screening was completed, a total of 8,773 candidates, including 2,432 women and transgender persons, were provisionally selected in the common recruitment. Training for these selected candidates would commence soon. In order to ensure transparency, the TNUSRB published the list of candidates, their enrolment numbers roster wise selection and marks scored on its official website.
The unearthing of the scam in police recruitment comes close on the heels of the sensational fraud in the examinations conducted by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission which rocked the State. The Crime Branch CID of the Tamil Nadu police is investigating the TNPSC scam and has arrested about 49 persons, including candidates, government officials and police personnel on charges of cheating.
