32 questions 'repeated' from previous year, Congress demands Haryana Civil Services exam cancellation

CHANDIGARH: Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala on Wednesday attacked the Haryana Public Service Commission for "repeating" 32 questions from the previous year in the second paper of the HSC preliminary examination. The prelims for Haryana Civil Services was held on May 21 with more than 93,000 candidates appearing for it.

Surjewala, the Rajya Sabha MP, in a statement here, further alleged that the Commission, "has not only proved its ineptitude by repeating last year's questions but has also done the heinous act of leaking its own paper". Targeting the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government, Surjewala while demanding immediate cancellation of the HCS paper, said, "If there is any shame left in the Khattar government, then Khattar sahab should immediately apologise to those 93,000 youths who had filled the examination form believing his false slogans of transparency".

Also Read | Haryana secondary schools with 100 students in classes 9, 10 will be upgraded: CM ML Khattar

"This examination should be cancelled immediately and re-paper should be conducted," he said. The Congress leader also demanded disbanding of the commission. Surjewala said there are two papers in the preliminary examination of HCS. Out of these one paper is General Knowledge and the other paper is Civil Service Aptitude Test which is called 'CSAT'.

To pass the 'CSAT' exam, it is mandatory for every candidate to score 33 per cent marks, only then his general knowledge paper is checked, on the basis of which merit is made. If the candidate does not get 33 per cent marks in this 'CSAT' paper, then he automatically gets out of the merit, he said. The paper which requires 33 per cent marks to qualify and its 32 questions are already in the public domain with the answer key. Chief Minister Khattar should answer what is the sanctity of that exam, he said.

Also Read | Haryana government's e-Adhigam scheme proving to be boon for poor students: Chief Minister

How will Khattar saheb give justice to the candidates who did not appear in the previous exam or did not have the previous year's question paper to revise?," he asked. He also mentioned the arrest of Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) Deputy Secretary Anil Nagar by the Haryana Vigilance Bureau sleuths for his alleged role in manipulating the recruitment of dental surgeons by taking bribes in exchange for higher marks in the written test. Surjewala alleged that the other "big fish" in the scam were saved and only Nagar was made a scapegoat.