OSSSC draws flak for 'exam mismanagement'; probe demanded

Is the Odisha Sub-ordinate Staff Selection Commission (OSSSC) playing with the future of lakhs of youths? This question is being asked with a Tamil Nadu-based private company named SIFY Technology being roped in by the OSSSC to conduct online examinations for Group-B and Group-C posts like RI, ARI, ICDS Supervisor and Amin. 

As per the allegation of the Students Against Corruption forum, SIFY is the same company that was blacklisted by the central government in 2022 in the paper leak case. Even, a case was initiated against the company and 17 of its staff were arrested. 

This once-blacklisted company is conducting examinations at crowded places like mandaps, cyber cafes and market complexes, leaving examinees infuriated. Yesterday, candidates sitting for the examination held at the cyber café of a private organisation at Nayapalli in Bhubaneswar suffered due to technical issues. Today, the exam was held in the building of a private organisation named Venkateswar Swami Infotech.

Also Read: After 80k years, rare celestial event captured in Odisha skies 

“Examinations in schools are conducted in a better way. But the way the OSSSC is conducting the examinations, it is playing with the future of the students. They don’t have staff or proper invigilators to conduct such examinations. In such conditions, why we should sit for the examination? Why are you playing with the future of the students?,” asked an examinee in Paralakhemundi.   

Alleging a pre-planned scam behind engaging SIFY Technology to conduct exams, the Students Against Corruption demanded a probe against the company. 

“Students are labouring hard for years to pass an examination. On the other hand, SIFY Technology has been engaged to decide their future. If searched in Google, you can find that the company was blacklisted for leaking question papers and a CBI case is pending against it,” alleged Bibhuti Bhushan Mohapatra, convener of Students Against Corruption. 

IT Minister Mukesh Mahaling blamed the previous BJD government for the mismanagement.

“SIFY Technology has been conducting examinations since the previous government. We are looking into it. We are not playing with the future of any candidate. But, the students should rest assured that proper decision will be taken,” said the IT Minister.