Over 69,000 candidates take HP Police constable recruitment test

Shimla: Over 69,000 candidates took the written test for recruitment of constables in the Himachal Pradesh Police on Sunday, three months after an examination for the same was cancelled over reports of a paper leak. The test earlier held on March 27 was cancelled by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on May 6.

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A total of 122 candidates found using foul means in that test were not allowed to appear in this one, a press note issued by the office of state Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Kundu said. As many as 75,803 candidates had cleared the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) and the Physical Standard Test (PST). Of them, 75,681 were allowed to appear for the written examination held at 87 centres across all 12 districts, it added.

A total of 69,427 candidates (92 per cent) took the test for 1,334 posts of constables as 6,254 were reported absent, the note said. CCTV cameras were installed in all examination centres and provision of videographers was made for those where CCTVs were not available.

Besides, 1,351 jammers were installed to block all kinds of external communications through electronic devices, it added. Centre superintendents and invigilators were hired from government and private educational institutes. Flying squads headed by superintendents of police and commandants were constituted for surprise checking.

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Vigilance teams from the state Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau were deployed as well, in addition to CID teams, the note said. On Saturday, the state police filed its first charge sheet against 91 people in connection with the paper leak case.

The charge sheet was filed in the court of the Kangra additional chief judicial magistrate in connection with one of the three FIRs registered in the case under IPC sections 420, 120B and 201 at the Gaggal police station.

The other two FIRs were registered at the state CID police station in Bharari, Shimla, and Arki police station in Solan. Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu on June 27 said 171 people were arrested from 10 states for their involvement in the leaking of Himachal Pradesh Police constable recruitment exam papers.