APSC scam: Action ordered against 34 officers named in BK Sharma commission report

To address concerns over anomalies and malpractices in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) Combined Competitive Examinations (CCE), Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has ordered immediate action against 34 officers whose names have been revealed in the recent report of the BK Sharma Commission. This directive comes as the state government intensifies its efforts to restore the credibility of the prestigious examinations, which have been marred by allegations of irregularities and misconduct.

The BK Sharma Commission, established by the state government, had previously conducted an investigation into the APSC CCE 2013 test, uncovering widespread abnormalities and malpractices. The 2013 report highlighted incorrect selections of 37 candidates and raised concerns about the appointment of the then-APSC chairman, Rakesh Paul. As a result, the Commission recommended the cancellation of the entire CCE 2013 batch due to these irregularities.

However, the 37 candidates implicated in the report seemed to have eluded the scope of the Dibrugarh Police's inquiry, with many of them subsequently being promoted to various positions. Earlier on october 1, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had revealed that the previous Investigating Officer had failed to submit the answer books of 34 candidates who had appeared in the APSC exam in 2013.

On October 21, the retired Justice Biplab Kumar Sharma Commission concluded its judicial inquiry into the anomalies and malpractices in the conduct of the APSC CCE 2014. The Commission submitted a 380-page report to the Home department of the Assam Government on October 13, ahead of its extended deadline, as per the Gauhati High Court's directive. The report is said to contain explosive revelations about the exam misconduct.