Bhadrak: Another alleged question paper leak incident has hit the crisis-ridden Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) whose credibility appears to be at stake in the wake of the unprecedented JE question paper leak scandal which is currently under investigation. As many as 21 candidates, appearing for the post of ‘Accountant’ in the Housing and Urban Development department, walked out of an examination hall Sunday alleging tampering of packets containing question papers prior to the beginning of the test. The incident reportedly took place at an examination centre in Bhadrak (Autonomous) College. The two-hour test was scheduled to begin at 10 am. The candidates alleged that the question papers arrived at the centre 10 minutes late. They said when they tried to open the question paper, they found the seal broken. On noticing the breach, the candidates brought the matter before the invigilator and soon pandemonium ensued. Suspecting foul play, as many as 21 candidates boycotted the exam and staged a walkout.
Later, the agitated students staged a protest at the college gate demanding the cancellation of the examination. The agitating candidates alleged that ‘some vested interests’ are responsible for the foul play as it fetched them big bucks. They further alleged that jobs were being sold in exchange for money depriving poor candidates of their due. Sub-collector Manoj Patra and DSP Anshuman Dwivedi reached the spot and pacified the candidates with an assurance to inform authorities in OSSC about the issue. When contacted, principal Subodh Chandra Mishra denied the charges and said that the question paper arrived at the examination centre from the district treasury at 9.35 am. The misunderstanding was on account of a ‘slight cut’ in the seal of question papers which might have occurred during transportation. Around 700 candidates had come to appear for the examination at the Bhadrak (Autonomous) College.