OFDC recruitment exam cancelled as tension erupts over alleged irregularities

Bhubaneswar: Tension prevailed at Mother’s Public School at Unit-1 here on Sunday after the scheduled exam for the post of Assistant Manager and Junior Manager in Odisha Forest Development Corporation Ltd (OFDC) was cancelled over alleged irregularities.

As per the schedule, hundreds of aspirants gathered at the school today to appear for the test, however, the concerned authorities cancelled the examination citing irregularities.

Irate students protested the cancellation of the examination and blamed the state government for its callous attitude in management of the examination.

According to sources, the Forest Department On June 30 earlier this year had issued notification for recruitment of 14 Assistant and 31 Junior Manager posts and had scheduled October 28 as the date of examination.

However, examinees who arrived at the test centre today complained that their online admit cards did not have any information about their identities and neither any information about the examination details being conducted by the Forest department.

The applicants have shown displeasure and have demanded for the re-examination.

"Neither the roll number nor any adequate information was mentioned in the admit card. Due to the mismanagement by the authorities the exam has been cancelled and we demand for a re-examination," said a candidate.

Meanwhile the authorities informed that the exam was cancelled due to irregularities in examination process.

"Xavier Institute was given the authority to conduct the exam and the centre was allotted at Mother's Public school. We observed some discrepancies in the process hence the exam was cancelled. Accordingly a report has been submitted to the higher authorities, examination observer Hemant Kumar Pattnaik said.

Meanwhile, questions have been raised about the transparency and re-examination dates.