98% Haryana jail staff flunk key dept exam

The results of the departmental exams for Haryana jail staff, including superintendents, deputy superintendents, assistant superintendents and sub-assistant superintendents, paint a dismal picture, with a majority failing across key subjects. The exams were held in March this year.

May lead to delay in promotion, pay hike

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In Financial Rules paper, 40 of 41 staffers (98%) fail with just one deputy superintendent barely scraping through

Despite Hindi being primary language, 16 of 32 staffers fail Hindi test, exposing lack of basic knowledge

Failure to clear departmental exams may lead to delayed promotions and increments or even non-confirmation of service

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The worst performance was in the Financial Rules paper, where 40 out of 41 (98 per cent) candidates failed.

According to the Home (Jail Department) notification dated August 7, 23 of the 41 candidates (over 55 per cent) failed the Punjab Jail Manual (excluding appendices) paper, with only four clearing in the “pass higher standard” bracket and the remaining in the “pass lower standard” category. The Jail Manual paper saw a 50 per cent failure rate. Of 26 staff members who appeared in the exam, 13 failed. Among those who cleared, only two came in the “higher standard” bracket. The Criminal Law paper recorded a staggering 75 per cent failure rate, with 18 of 24 staffers having failed. Among the six who passed, five were in “lower standard”.

Surprisingly, despite Hindi being the primary language in the state, half of the 32 candidates who appeared for the Hindi exam failed. Eight passed in the “higher standard” and an equal number in the “lower standard” bracket.

The Punjab Departmental Examination Rules 1965 stipulate two passing standards -- “higher” (two-thirds of the total marks) and “lower” (50 per cent marks). If one obtains three-fourths or more of the total marks, the candidate is said to have passed with “credit”. Sub-assistant superintendents need only 40 per cent to pass, while superintendents must clear the “higher standard”. Deputy superintendents and assistant superintendents can pass in the “lower standard”.

Failure in these exams can delay increments, supersession in promotions or even non-confirmation of service. The previous exams in November 2024 also saw poor results, with significant failures in the Punjab Jail Manual, Financial Rules, and Hindi papers.

DGP (Prisons) Alok Kumar Roy could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. A jail officer, speaking anonymously, said, “It is difficult to prepare for exams while working, although we get enough chances to clear the papers.”