The Supreme Court of India today called 'the entire Staff Selection Commission system and examination' as 'tainted,’ and ordered a stay on the SSC CGL and CHSL 2017 exam result declaration. While ordering the stay, the Court said it can't permit people benefitting from SSC exam scam to get into service. Advocate Prashant Bhushan sought a stay on the declaration of results, pointing out that it will be released in a day or two. A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao stayed the declaration of the results after perusing a status report of the CBI in which aspersions have been cast on several SSC officials and the custodian of the examination paper. 'It can't be believed that the custodian of the examination paper is himself leaking the paper,' the bench said.
The apex court also pulled up Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, appearing for CBI, for taking a stand to defend SSC officials. 'Mr Solicitor, it is surprising that you are taking this stand. You are appearing for CBI and you should have said that the examination must be cancelled. Your status report implicates several people and you are taking a different stand,' the bench said.
Advocates Prashant Bhushan and Govind Jee, appearing for petitioner Shantanu Kumar, alleged that the CBI in its first status report had itself admitted that the custodian of SSC CGL exam paper has leaked the paper.
In February-March, the SSC exam fiasco hit the news headlines, when screenshots of few objective type questions went viral during SSC CGL tier 2 exam held on February 21, 2018.
The Commission Chairman Ashim Khurana, who has been re-appointed, denied any foul play, then.
Initial probe began on March 5, and CBI registered a preliminary enquiry on March 8. Later on Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, had said, "there was no leakage of question papers in the CGL examination, 2017."
The CGL, is the biggest competitive job exam in the country conducted by the SSC for graduates for recruitment as Assistant Audit Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer, Assistant Section Officer, Assistant/ Superintendent, Inspector of Income Tax, Central Excise Inspector, Preventive Officer, Junior Statistical Officer, Assistant Enforcement Officer, etc. The Commission conducts CHSL for 10+2 pass candidates, every year, as well. Apart from these, SSC is also entitled to conduct two exams on behalf of Delhi Police and Ministry of Home Affairs.
On the other hand, SSC CGL 2018 tier 1 exam has been delayed. The exam was supposed to begin on July 25. Last year for CGL 2017 tier 1 exam, the admit card was released in July and the exam was held from August 5 to August 24.
(With Inputs From PTI)
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