Government orders CBI probe into alleged SSC exam scam, students says they still won't call off protest

NEW DELHI: The government today ordered a CBI investigation into an alleged 'Staff Selection Commission' (SSC) exam scam, but candidates across the country aren't mollified and said they won't call off their agitation.


Union home minister Rajnath Singh as well as opposition Congress MP Shashi Tharoor urged candidates to call of their protests.

"We have accepted demands of protesting candidates and have given orders for CBI inquiry, protest should now stop, " said Union home minister Rajnath Singh, reported ANI.


Still, candidates who've alleged that the question paper was leaked and that there was mass cheating, said they will continue to protest until all their demands are met.

"We welcome Union home minister Rajnath Singh's decision on CBI probe in the alleged SSC exams scam. We are not going to call off the protest until a proper format is released, we will see if our demands are being met or not," said a candidate whom ANI news agency identified only as Piyush.

Earlier today, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said he spoke to Union minister Jitendra Singh in Parliament about instituting a CBI inquiry. He too said the minister agreed.



Tharoor urged students to call of their protests. "It is time to acknowledge victory and move on...protesters should know when they have won," the Congress MP tweeted.


As many as 190,000 candidates appeared for the combined graduate level exam held from February 17 to 21.


The test on February 17 had be to cancelled after alleged malpractices were reported at a Delhi exam centre where paper chits with answers were found in a bathroom. In Bhopal too, the SSC had to cancel the exam after candidates allegedly found that several questions were already marked with answers.

Aspirants have been holding protests outside the SSC's office in Delhi for the last six days, demanding a CBI investigation into the matter. Several opposition parties, including the Congress and AAP, as well as BJP members, have been demanding an investigation.

The Congress compared this alleged scam to irregularities in Vyapam, another entrance examination, admission and recruitment scam that was unearthed in Madhya Pradesh in 2013.