HSSC : Don’t have dope test facility for all

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 5

Under fire after the death of three youths allegedly due to the consumption of performance-enhancing drugs during the ongoing police recruitment in Kurukshetra, Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) chairman Bharat Bhushan denied the consumption of drugs by candidates.

He confirmed that the commission did not have the required facility to conduct the dope test on all candidates.

“It is impossible to conduct dope test on all candidates. But all suspected aspirants are being tested,” he said after a meeting at the Secretariat in Chandigarh.

On the death of job aspirants, Bhushan said: “The postmortem and viscera reports will determine cause of death. Without the reports, no one should level allegations against the deceased candidates.”

“From July 7, we will call 7,000 candidates every day — half of them in the morning and the remaining half in the evening — against the current figure of 10,000. Till today, the HSSC conducted the tests of 1.59 lakh candidates out of 5.25 lakh aspirants,” he said.

About the selection of a residential area for the recruitment drive, he said that a special committee was formed that conducted a research and finalised the venue. “The committee found that Kurukshetra is easily accessible through train and buses and the city has several inns, where candidates can put up.”

The HSSC chairman said the previous police recruitments were conducted in June and July. “Police officers must be prepared to handle tough tasks in a punishing weather. It’s a baseless allegation that the commission is conducting recruitment in an inappropriate weather.”

Bhushan claimed medical facility had been improved at the venue. “Officials are spreading awareness regarding the adverse effect of intoxicants among youths participating in the drive,” he added.