Himachal police constable recruitment test cancelled after paper leak

Lalit Mohan

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Dharamsala, May 6

Amid reports of a question paper leak, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the Himachal Pradesh government on Friday cancelled the written test conducted in March to recruit police constables and constituted an SIT to probe the matter.

Headed by DIG Madhu Sudan, the Special Investigation Team will probe the paper leak and the recruitment process, he said while asserting that strict action will be taken against those found guilty.

An FIR was registered in Kangra district in this regard.

Kangra SP Khushal Sharma said it was the marks of three candidates that surprised them. The students had scored just 50 per cent marks in their matriculation examinations, but topped the written examination for constable recruitment scoring 70 out 90 marks.

The three suspect candidates who had topped the examination were questioned. On inquiry, it was found that these three candidates got the question papers in advance from some people in Punjab.

They had purchased the question papers from unknown accused in Rs 6 to Rs 8 lakh, the SP said.

The sources here said that the police was suspecting that the leak of paper happened from the press where the question papers were printed.

The written test for the recruitment of 1,700 constables in the Himachal Pradesh Police force was conducted on March 27 after the fitness test of the applicants.

The chief minister said the written test will be rescheduled for later this month.