Paper leak and exam scams are not new in India. We do have a history of 12th Board Chemistry paper getting leaked two times within ten days. Students had to give the same paper a third attempt.
Since 2014, with the advancement of communication technology, the paper leak has seen a rapid rise. As per the reports it is stated that from 1979 to 2017 a total of 82 question papers of numerous jobs and public exams have been leaked. Recently Karnataka witnessed another scam in PSI recruitment. Karnataka State Service examination is always in the black list for its corruption. In spite of several amendments being planned to bring in a transparency in recruitment no effective outcome is witnessed.
There are aspirants of 2017 KPSC recruitment batch still struggling for justice in the court of law. And now the PSI scam and the statement by the Home minister on re exams have led the students come out in protest. Unlike matriculation, twelfth board or university examination, competitive exams stand as a ‘do or die’ situation to aspirants. Years of struggle comes with staying away from family, skipping all the happy and fun times with family only to dedicate a focused eight to ten hours of reading in a day. In such a situation, when a selection process is flavoured with the malpractice it not only turns out unjust but as a hammer on the future of several ethical aspirants aiming to serve the society.
Corruption and malpractice has now become a vicious circle of chain. If the one entering unethically governs the society expecting a corruption free society will be no less than seeking the fox guard to the chickens.
Article 315 of Constitution has the provision on Public Service Commission for the Union and States. It is under thy provision both Union and States conduct competitive exams. Fairness, Transparency and Justice in an exam is the responsibility of examination boards. Giving call for a re-exam post several months of the examination process acts as a stake on ethical candidates. As the candidates have already stopped their preparation post selection an unexpected examination without preparation will hit them hard. There indeed is a need for an insightful move in solving the issue and a permanent solution to end the malpractice.
Image by Jonathan Hammond
