GUWAHATI, Sep 18: The Assam unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has lodged a formal complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against alleged violations during the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE) conducted by the Board of Secondary Education (SEBA) last Sunday.
In a statement, the party has condemned the alleged “mismanagement of security checks, lack of proper examination procedures and technological failures” reported during the exam.
“Our party has lodged a formal complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to address these serious violations,” a statement issued by AAP Assam senior leader Punam Gogoi said on Wednesday.
“Multiple incidents of harassment were reported during the security checks, where female candidates were subjected to invasive and humiliating searches. Women were forced to endure inappropriate physical contact, causing them to lose their dignity in the name of security,” Gogoi said.
“The absence of a standard operating procedure (SOP) for conducting these checks was evident, as the personnel deployed lacked the necessary instructions and training to handle the situation professionally and respectfully. Such gross violations of personal integrity are unacceptable and must be dealt with urgently,” the party leader stated.
Notably, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced that standard operating procedures (SOP) for frisking of women candidates at the exam centres would be prepared and circulated before the next round of Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE) scheduled on September 22 and 29, 2024.
“With no proper or designated body in place to conduct such large-scale examinations, the burden was placed on SEBA, which is already overwhelmed with its responsibilities in school education. This has resulted in severe mismanagement, further eroding public trust in the recruitment process,” the AAP leader alleged.
“The technological shortcomings led to further chaos. A statewide internet shutdown during the examination hours had left candidates struggling to locate their centres. Many students, especially those travelling from rural areas, could not avail cab services, adding to their stress and confusion. Candidates from districts such as Nagaon and Dhubri, where no exam centres were set up, had to travel long distances to cities like Guwahati, facing significant logistical and financial challenges,” the party leader alleged.
“These systemic failures highlight the urgent need for a dedicated, competent body to handle recruitment exams. AAP Assam firmly opposes such gross negligence and demands immediate action from the government. We call for a thorough investigation into the mismanagement of the examination, accountability for those responsible for the security lapses, and the establishment of a specialised exam-conducting authority,” Gogoi said.
It may be noted that over 11 lakh candidates had appeared in the written examination for Class-III posts of HSSLC level under the State Level Recruitment Commission for Class-III Posts, conducted by the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) across 2305 examination centres in the state last Sunday.