State government dissolves Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission

SHIMLA: The state government on Tuesday dissolved the Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission (HPSSC) located at Hamirpur, whose functioning was suspended after the recruitment exam paper for junior office assistants (IT) was leaked in December.

“The reports of departmental inquiry and vigilance bureau pointed out irregularities and papers were being leaked and sold to selective people for the past three years, following which the state government has decided to dissolve the commission with immediate effect,” said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, adding that complaints were also received with regards to the exams held recently.

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He said complaints were also received regarding the papers held recently by the HPSSC, headquartered in Hamirpur. The ongoing recruitment process from HPSSC has been transferred to Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC), Shimla, for the convenience of candidates till further alternative arrangements are made or a testing agency is constituted, he said while interacting with media persons.

The state government suspended the HP selection commission in December 2022. . All examinations would be conducted by HPPSC, he said and added that the employees of the Staff Selection Commission have been transferred to the "surplus" pool and options will be given to them to join new departments of their choice.

पिछले तीन साल से चल रही अनियमित्ताएं और पेपर लीक मामलों के मध्यनजर आज हिमाचल प्रदेश कर्मचारी चयनआयोग हमीरपुर
को भंग कर दिया गया ।जब तक नया चयन आयोग नही बनता , इस आयोग की कार्यप्रणाली को अब हिमाचल प्रदेश पब्लिक सर्विस कमीशन जारी रखेगा, ताकि विद्यार्थियों का कोई नुकसान ना हो। pic.twitter.com/gxymJSR9Zj

— Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (@SukhuSukhvinder) February 21, 2023

The inquiry report said the involvement of many officials from top to bottom was found in the paper leak scams and other irregularities committed during the past three years and the first charge sheet in this case would be filed on Tuesday, according to Sukhu. The employees of HPSSC have been transferred to the surplus pool and options will be given to them to join new departments of their choice, the CM added.

The examination of JOA (IT) scheduled for December 25 was cancelled after the paper leak was unearthed on December 23, 2022 when the vigilance arrested a senior assistant of HPSSC Uma Azad with a solved question paper and Rs 2.5 lakh in cash. So far, eight people - Uma Azad, her sons Nikhil Azad and Nitin Azad, tout Sanjeev and his brother Shashi Pal, Neeraj, Ajay Sharma, and Tanu Sharma have been arrested in the case.