The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) conducted a screening test (objective type) for recruitment to the post of Panchayat Secretary Grade-IV on Sunday (April 21).
Of the total 4,95,526 applicants, 2,94,966 (75.82%) appeared for the test, held at 1,320 venues across Andhra Pradesh.
The examination was held peacefully except at two venues at Markapur in Prakasam district which caused a slight delay in commencement of the exam. The candidates were given grace period as time was extended to make up for the lost time.
Confusion in Vizag
Staff Reporter in Visakhapatnam writes:
The candidates appearing for the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) examination for the recruitment of Panchayat Secretary (Grade IV) posts were at their wits’ end on Sunday after they found that there was no examination centre when they reached the spot mentioned in their hall-tickets on Sunday.
This made many aspirants miss the test. Around 70 candidates reportedly reached at Timmapuram Junction near Rushikonda as it was mentioned on their hall-tickets that the examination would be conducted at Sri Adarsha Junior College nearby the junction. But, they were shocked when they found that there was no such college in that area.
Many candidates reached there from far-off places, including the interior areas in Visakhapatnam Agency. Even the police personnel who were assigned duty at the examination centre were a baffled lot.
“We received the hall-tickets about a week ago. I checked in Google which suggested that the college was very much in the area. The Internet search also showed several images of the college building, logo and etc. But after reaching the place, we were shocked,” Killo Jeevan, an aspirant who came all the way from Araku Valley said.
Many candidates blamed it on the negligence of officials, saying that the goof-up had costed them two years of hard work. They also alleged that even though they tried to contact the authorities through the toll-free number provided, it did not work.
Then irked aspirants then went to the Collector’s camp office near Andhra University. Some APPSC officials approached them and promised help. The candidates were asked to write a letter mentioning their names and hall-ticket numbers.
Panel to be formed
Meanwhile, the officials said that the exam centre in question was at Thimmapuram in S. Ravaram mandal and an area near Rushikonda by the same name caused the goof-up. However, they admitted that had the S. Rayavaram mandal been printed on the hall-tickets, the confusion could have been avoided.