SSC paper leak another Vyapam scam, remove MoS Jitendra Singh: Congress

The Congress on Monday demanded the removal of Union minister of state (MoS) in the Prime Minister’s Office, Jitendra Singh, and Staff Selection Commission (SSC) chairman, Ashim Khurana, over the alleged question paper leak before the exam during the past four years of the BJP-led NDA government.

Dubbing the alleged leak “another Vyapam scam”, the Congress also demanded a timebound probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), saying that the Modi government is “playing with the future” of two crore youngsters who apply for 50,000 jobs every year through the commission.

Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said nine SSC exam paper leaks took place in the past four years.

“The youth of this country have lost faith in the system. Instead of resolving the issue, students are beaten up for their protests,” Surjewala said.

He said two combined graduate level and combined higher secondary level exams were cancelled in Patna after answers were leaked half an hour before the exams began.

He also referred to a March 14 report by the parliamentary standing committee on personnel, public grievances, law and justice, which had criticised the government and the SSC for “not maintaining the sanctity” of the examination process.

“It also mentioned lack of trust of public in general and of examinees in particular, malpractices and technical glitches, supervision on private entities involved in examination process, and audit of hardware and software,” Surjewala added.

When asked for his response on the matter, Jitendra Singh said, “Nothing to comment. The case is already with CBI. Therefore, let the CBI decide whether, at all, there was any paper leakage, and if it did happen, let the CBI investigate the role of everybody including the protesters who demanded a CBI inquiry.”