Marred by leak in January, junior clerk exam held ‘smoothly’ across Gujarat

Over 3,000 centres were set up for the examination across the state and the GPSSB had also made provision of paying Rs 254 to candidates as transport cost for appearing in the examination.

The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), who has been probing the January paper leak, has busted a multi-state network and arrested 49 people, including 30 aspirants, from Gujarat who were allegedly ready to pay up to Rs 15 lakh for buying the leaked question paper before the exam. Senior IPS officer Hasmukh Patel was also appointed GPSSB chairperson following the paper leak.

On Sunday evening, GPSSB chairperson Hasmukh Patel took to Twitter to announce the “successful completion of the examination”. “Many thanks to district administrations for successfully completing the examination. This would not have been possible without your hard work and diligence,” Patel tweeted in Gujarati.

Many candidates who appeared for the examination expressed satisfaction over the exam. Chandkheda, Ahmedabad resident Parth Solanki (26), who took the examination at a centre in Himmatnagar of Sabarkantha district, said “the examination was conducted smoothly”. “I registered for the exam last time, too. Then, my centre was in Ahmedabad only. However, I got really disappointed with the paper leak then. In fact, I started to think of not appearing in any exam after that. However, with the support of my family, I decided to continue the preparations,” Parth, a post-graduate in Arts who aspires to become a police sub-inspector, said.

He said that anybody involved in paper leaks should be severely punished. “Even those students who buy such leaked paper should also be punished severely. Why would they be so greedy? If a candidate gets to know that a leaked paper is available, why would he/she not inform the police about it instead of buying it?”

In Rajkot, many job aspirants said the change of guard at the GPSSB has restored their faith in the examination system but complained about them being allotted examination centres far away from their residence. “This time round, I am not apprehensive about the integrity of the examination system as Hasmukh Patel is heading the board now. He was the one who conducted the police constable recruitment examination fairly, did not allow the question paper to leak and therefore, inspires confidence,” said Prakash Bambhaniya (25), an aspirant from Una town of Gir Somnath district, adding, “I was worried more about reaching on time. I boarded a bus from Una at 5 am and barely made it on time for the exam.”

Darshana, another candidate, recalled how disappointed she was to find the cancellation of the exam in January after travelling a long distance. “At the examination centre where I took the exam, everything seemed fine and fair though I can’t say if that is the case at all examination centres across the state. But because Hasmukh Patel is at the helm of affairs this time, there is reason to believe unfair means have not been used,” she said. “That said, the state government should also switch to online examination for recruitment, just like the Central government does, to eliminate the possibility of paper leak,” she added.

A science graduate who took the examination in Rajkot also echoed similar trust in Patel’s chairmanship. “Last time, I was allotted a centre in Ahmedabad and the leak meant an indefinite extension of preparing for this examination. But I am sure GPSSB has learnt from its past mistakes and Hasmukh Patel inspires confidence by connecting with job aspirants through social media and keeping them updated,” the graduate said.

However, he questioned the logic behind allotting examination centres far away from one’s residence. “My father and I had to reach here a day in advance and put up in a hotel as my home is around 250 kms away from Rajkot. I was afraid they would not allow me inside the examination hall even if I report only a few minutes late,” he said.

Darshana said, “The government said it will reimburse fares worth Rs 254. But I had to overtake an overnight journey to reach Rajkot. So, I had booked a berth worth Rs 600 on a sleeper bus. As I had travelled at night, my husband had to accompany me. Therefore, the one-way fare for us was itself Rs 1,200.” She also said that it was good that culprits responsible for the leak in January are being brought to book. ”

Jigisha Parmar (26), who has done her Master of Arts and Bachelor of Education and wants to be a government teacher, is another aspirant from Rajkot who appeared for the examination at an allotted examination centre in Bhavnagar. “I am appearing in other examinations such as junior clerk as part of my preparations to become a government teacher. By appearing in such examinations as junior clerk, one gets to know the kind of question papers set by the authorities,” Jigisha says.

According to Jigisha, the exam was managed very well Sunday. “Unlike the previous occasion (on January 29 when the paper was leaked), the exam was conducted without any hindrance,” she said, adding anybody, including candidates, involved in the paper leak should be punished.

Ravi Parmar, an aspiring candidate from Godhra, who appeared for his exam in Vadodara, said, “The question paper was tricky and I wonder if it was because it had been reset after the previous leak… However, anyone who would have prepared well would also fair well… The arrangements at the centre were satisfactory too.”

Sunita Chauhan from Mahisagar said, “I have come from Kadana taluka and there is a lot of talk about the exam ever since the arrest of the candidates by the ATS in the previous leak case… I was expecting this paper to be very tough. So, I prepared for the test during the two-month extension that we got due to the leak… It had demotivated me when the leak happened but now, I am relieved that I was able to attempt the paper satisfactorily. The vigilance at the centre was very good and we were confident that nothing untoward would happen this time.”

The examination was also held peacefully in Surat, one of the major centres in South Gujarat. “The examination was conducted peacefully and no untoward incidents had taken place in Surat. We have not come across any complaint by students or others in relation to the exams,” said Surat District Education officer Dr Deepak Darjee. —With ENS, Vadodara & Surat