Sikkim government constitute high powered committee to probe into SPSC exam allegations

The State government has constituted a 5-member high-powered committee headed by additional chief secretary R Telang to enquire into various allegations regarding irregularities in the Sikkim Services (Combined Recruitment) Examination, 2022 held on January 16, 2023.

The 5 members are - Ravindra Telang, Akshay Sachdeva, Rinzing Chewand Bhutia, Tashi Cho Cho and Tushar Ganajan Nikhare.

Notably, Rinzing Chewang Bhutia, SCS, Secretary, Department of Personal shall also act as the Member Secretary of the Committee.

Also Read: Student wing of Sikkim Democratic Front demands reconstitution of State Public Service Commission

Further, the committee shall examine in detail, the representation of alleged malpractices that are said to have occurred during the conduct of the Sikkim Services (Combined Recruitment) Examination, 2022 held on January 16, 2023.

The Committee shall inter-alia, investigate the veracity of complaints and alleged irregularities in the conduct of the examination.
 
The Committee shall call for records/documents from the State Government or the Sikkim Public Service Commission, which it may deem necessary to carry out the investigation in an effective manner.

The Committee shall suggest appropriate measures for streamlining the conduct of the examination if any. 

The Committee shall co-opt services of any other officer of the Government if deemed necessary. 

The High Powered Committee shall submit its report within 21 (twenty-one) days of the issue of this notification. 

Following anomalies in the most recent PSC recruitment exam have prompted the student wing of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) to call for the reconstitution of the state Public Service Commission.

Reiterating its call for a new combined preliminary recruitment examination to be held by the commission for the positions of under-secretaries, deputy superintendents of police, and accounts officer, the student front of the SDF demands the removal of the current office bearers of the state PSC.

The demand from the students' front comes in response to the release of the revised answer keys for the recently held examination, in which the commission cancelled eight questions in both the Part 1 and Part 2 papers while awarding the examinees full marks for those questions.