APSC chairman contradicts Sonowal

Guwahati: Two days after Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal suggested that the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) declare the results of the state civil services examination three hours after holding the viva voce, the APSC Chairman on Monday said it was impossible and he is yet to receive any instruction in this regard.
In a statement on Saturday, the Chief Minister’s Office said that the Chief Minister had asked the APSC to declare results of civil services examinations within three hours of completion of viva voce.
“The Chief Minister also asked the APSC to declare results of viva voce within ‘one day’ for general candidates appearing in different examinations conducted by the APSC,” the statement said.
On Monday, however, APSC chairman R.K. Paul said: “It is not possible to declare the results of civil services examination after three hours of the viva voce. The Chief Minister has suggested some measures for reforms but I have not received any instruction from him.”
The APSC has become a centre of controversy over the last several years. There are allegations about massive anomalies and favouritism on the part of the APSC Chairman and its officials in terms of civil services and other examinations, and several organisations have taken to the streets demanding immediate removal of the APSC Chairman.
The erstwhile Congress government in Assam faced several rounds of public protests over alleged corruption and favouritism by the APSC authorities in holding civil serviceS and other examinations.
Assam Governor P.B. Acharya had also urged the APSC Chairman on Saturday to bring transparency in the system and remove the trust deficit which the institution has been experiencing.
“The Institution (APSC) has become a centre of controversies over its selection process which has also been reflected in the media. Creating good governance in an institution may lead to the reputation and high respect by the society,” the Governor said in his letter and directed the APSC Chairman to prepare a roadmap for the improvement of the existing system urgently and submit it to him. (IANS)