A look at the SSC Paper Leak Case:
On February 21, screenshots of some objective-type questions with answers went viral after the examination, fueling speculations of malpractices. Following this, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), in its official statement, said that the claims were "baseless." The SSC had said, "The Commission verified from its internal sources and found that the allegation in this regard was totally mischievous and baseless. It appears that this was done with malafide intention to dislodge the entire examination process."
The Commission further said that it has taken very serious view of the incident and is registering a complaint (FIR) with the Crime Branch, Delhi Police for further investigation in the matter."
Since the screenshots raised questions over the fair play in the conduction of SSC exams, thousands of candidates started protesting outside the SSC office at Lodhi Road, New Delhi on February 27 demanding a CBI inquiry into the SSC paper leak issue. Aspirants also vented out their anger on social media platforms.
Protests were also seen in Patna, Bareily and other areas:
Massive Protest by #SSC Students at Gandhi Maidan Patna!
- Vikash Kumar Jha (@_vkjha) March 5, 2018
Keep It UP!
#SSCExamScam#SSC_SCAMpic.twitter.com/C8OCude8Pb
Leaders also expressed their concern over the alleged "SSC exam scam":
SSC exam scam CBI enquiry CBI enquiry
- Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 2, 2018
CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said, "Is this another Vyapam being covered up by the BJP?"
Is this another Vyapam being covered up by the BJP? #SSCpic.twitter.com/UxwBZbcGTv
- Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) March 4, 2018
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also extended complete support to the agitating students and said in a statement, "We demand that this scam, which is at the same scale as Vyapam, perhaps even bigger that it, should be probed by the CBI."
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that he spoke with the minister in the Parliament over the issue. "Spoke to (Jitendra Singh) in Parliament today. He has agreed to a CBI inquiry on all the issues raised by the students protesting the SSC-CGL Mains papers 'leak, conduct of exams'. I thank him for his willingness to listen to these legitimate demands (with) an open mind," Mr Tharoor tweeted.
The Commission had initially rejected the charges but after the protests started to spread and opposition parties lent their support, Home Minister Rajnath Singh ordered the probe. After that order came out, the crowds outside the SSC headquarters started to shrink, but several hundred students decided to stay put at the headquarters demanding to see the document ordering the probe.
Swaraj India's chief Yogendra Yadav tweeted that government order be made public. "Govt order needs to be made public, so that we know: What is the scope of the probe? Limited only to CGL or covers all exams and all forms of irregularities? Is the inquiry time bound? Will the SSC continue to hold exams with its dubious practices when the probe is on?," Mr Yadav tweeted.
Lok Sabha member from Bihar Pappu Yadav had also moved an adjournment motion to press for an inquiry in the Lok Sabha.
