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In March this year, three young men lost their lives while running 25 kilometres during the physical test for forest ranger, forest guard, and livestock inspector posts. Now, two months later, two more candidates have died in the Gajapati district during the home guard recruitment physical exam. Earlier in between, a candidate died after participating in the physical test at the Deogarh reserve police ground.
Such incidents are not new. They have been happening year after year, yet the concerned departments appear to have learned little, as such tragedies keep repeating without any systemic change.
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1996: 4 Deaths During Constable Exam
In October 1996, four young men lost their lives while participating in a 10-kilometre run during the constable recruitment exam in Bhadrak town. Around 25 others fell ill and were treated at the Bhadrak district hospital. The then Chief Minister Janaki Ballabh Pattnaik had ordered an inquiry into the incident.
A Long List of Deaths
In March 2023, Dipti Ranjan died during a 1600-meter race at the Chatrapur reserve police ground during the constable recruitment physical test. In 2022, a 28-year-old candidate died of cardiac arrest during a 5-kilometre run for police recruitment in Bhubaneswar. Similarly, in 2021, a 30-year-old man died of a sudden heart attack during a police recruitment physical test in Cuttack.
Earlier in 2018, Ramesh Pradhan from Narasinghpur died during a running competition in the constable recruitment test in Cuttack. In 2019, a 25-year-old candidate died due to undiagnosed high blood pressure during a paramilitary recruitment test in Berhampur. Most of these deaths were due to heart attacks or undiscovered health issues triggered by extreme physical exertion.
38°C Heat and 25 km Run
In March 2025, three candidates died during the physical test for the posts of forest ranger, forest guard, and livestock inspector, raising serious concerns. The Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSSC) faced heavy criticism for conducting a 25-kilometre run in 38°C March heat.
Those who died were Praveen Kumar Panda from Rourkela, Byomkesh Naik (26) from Ostapanga in Keonjhar, and Gnyanasanjan Jena (27) from Balikuda in Jagatsinghpur. After these deaths, the authorities only made minor adjustments. The run was rescheduled to 4:30 AM due to extreme heat, and water, glucose, etc., were arranged at every kilometre.
Experts Urge Mandatory Health Screening
Medical experts have stressed the need for mandatory health check ups, such as ECG, blood pressure, and stress tests, before allowing candidates to participate in physical tests. They also emphasise the need for sufficient hydration and avoiding extreme heat.
Marching into Danger
Year after year, this continues. Many aspirants, with dreams of ending their family’s poverty and struggles, push themselves blindly, unaware of the risks. But the Physical Efficiency Test (PET), meant to assess fitness, often becomes fatal.
This raises serious questions: Why do these deaths keep occurring? Is it time to change the way these tests are conducted?
Former DGPs Weigh In
Following the recent deaths of two home guard aspirants in Gajapati, former DGPs Sanjeeb Marik and Gopal Nanda commented. They stated that proper warm-ups are essential before any physical test, but many candidates are unaware. In a short time, candidates exert their full strength, and those who are not physically prepared face danger. They suggested that authorities must clearly warn candidates and promote awareness and fitness before such tests. Their views were published in an English newspaper.
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CM Mohan Majhi’s Response
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed sorrow over the deaths of the two home guard candidates and announced a compensation of ₹4 lakh from the CM’s Relief Fund for the families. While this gesture is commendable, the government must take concrete steps to prevent such tragedies in the future.
(By Dilip Sabat)
(DISCLAIMER: This is an opinion piece. The views expressed are the author’s own and have nothing to do with OTV’s charter or views. OTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
