By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: An unprecedented incident forced the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) to call off the written examinations for filling up three posts of Research Assistants under the Programme Implementation and Evaluation Department, scheduled for Saturday.
The MPSC ran short of 216 question papers resulting in utter confusion after which the examination was called off.
This is the first time in the history of the Commission that the examination was called off hours after its commencement.
The Commission has blamed the printing press from Guwahati for this misadventure. It may be mentioned that a total of 1258 candidates were supposed to appear in the written examination to be held at the three examination centres (two in Shillong and one in Tura).
MPSC secretary R Rapthap informed that after reports of the shortage of question papers came to his notice, there were only two options for the Commission either to call off the examination or to photo-copy the questions papers.
“After due deliberations, we decided against the option of photo-copying since it could raise many questions in the minds of the candidates who appeared in the examination. To avoid any controversy, the Commission decided to call off the examination,” Rapthap said.
Informing that the shortage of question papers was only at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Jail Road, he informed that there was a shortage of around 216 question papers since a total number of 423 candidates were supposed to appear the examination in this centre.
The MPSC secretary said there was no shortage of questions in the other two Centres.
A total of 600 candidates were supposed to write their exams in the Government Boy’s School, Shillong, he said while also informing that 235 candidates were to appear at the Government Boy’s School Tura.
“As per the normal procedure, the Commission would send the sealed question papers set by the examiners to the printing press. After printing the question papers are sealed and delivered to the Commission. But we do not open the seal of the package since we fear there might be leakage,” Rapthap said.
He said that in this latest case, the under-secretary had gone to collect the question papers from the printing press on July 26.
“After satisfying herself the under-secretary brought the three bundles of question papers to Shillong and it was kept in the strong room,” the MPSC secretary said while also informing that the Commission had also sent the bundle of question papers for the examination centre in Tura only on Friday.
The examination supervisors along with other officials involved in conducting of the examination came to collect the question papers for the two centres only on Saturday morning at around 8.30 am, he said.
“The controller of examination, MPSC, MR Marak who is supervising the examination at Government Girl’s School found there was shortage while counting the number of questions papers,” Rapthap informed.
After this, Marak immediately called up the examination supervisors of the two other centres to put the examination on hold since there were not enough question papers to go around in his centre, the MPSC secretary informed.
“Due to the mobile connectivity problem the examination supervisor for the centre at Government Boy’s School Shillong could not hear that she was asked to put the examination on hold. Due to the communication gap, the examination continued at that centre for over an hour. But the examination was finally called off,” Rapthap said.
When asked if action would be taken up against the printing press, Rapthap said the final decision on the matter would be decided by the Commission.