Entrance exam likely to be cancelled

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 31

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today hinted that the government could take remedial measures on the recruitment of conductors in the state transport corporation.

“Though the matter is sub judice and the courts are now likely to be closed for winter vacations, we can take action,” said Virbhadra.

It is learnt that the government has already collected the details about those who had been specially assigned the task of setting the question paper. Sources said the government was likely to cancel the entrance exam and would hold fresh examination. This would also silence the BJP which was making it a big issue.

The issue of alleged irregularities in the entrance exam for the recruitment of conductors in the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) has snowballed into a major controversy with 19 Congress ministers and legislators urging the Chief Minister to intervene and cancel the examination so that it could be held afresh. The issue has given ammunition to the Opposition BJP to lambast the ruling party over the issue.

Transport Minister GS Bali has threatened to take legal action against those who had cast aspersions on the entire selection process and even asked the Chief Minister to provide him a copy of the letter written by Congress MLAs. He even stated that some ministers and MLAs, whose names and signatures were in the letter, had denied signing on it.

“It is not a question of hitting out at the Transport Minister and as such he should not take it personally. There should be transparency in the recruitment process so that everyone gets equal opportunity,” said an MLA.

Congress ministers and MLAs point out that it can’t be a mere coincidence that a major chunk of candidates hailing from Nagrota, which is the home constituency of the Transport Minister, secured a high score.