OSSC cancels main written exam of JE (civil) as police confirm leak of question paper

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) cancelled the main written examination for junior engineer JE (Civil) after police confirmed the leak of question paper of the test conducted on July 16.

The OSSC in a notification said that the examination is cancelled on the basis of the report of Balasore Superintendent of Police.

"On the basis of the report of SP Balasore ... the Odisha Staff Selection Commission has decided to cancel the main written examination for JE (Civil) conducted on 16th July 2023 as a part of Combined Technical Services Recruitment Examination 2022," the notice said on Sunday.

The notification also said that a fresh main written examination for JE (Civil) will be conducted on September 3. "The Commission sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the candidates," the notice said.

Balasore, Superintendent of Police, Sagarika Nath at a press conference on Sunday confirmed the question paper leak incident.

"Question papers seized before the examination match with the original question papers. We have informed the same to OSSC," the SP said, adding that there should be no doubt that the question papers of the main written exam were leaked before the examination.

The police said at least nine persons were arrested in connection with the case. The mastermind of the scam has been identified, Nath said, adding that the mastermind is a person from out of the state. He has been identified and our efforts are on to nab him, the SP said.

Nath said the arrested accused persons were middlemen and they have confessed that the candidates were asked to give Rs 8 lakh to 10 lakh.