Rajasthan recruitment exam taken by 1.96 lakh candidates cancelled over cheating

RPSC cancelled the Rajasthan Revenue and Executive Officer Recruitment Exam 2022 after evidence of cheating using electronic devices, impacting over 1.96 lakh candidates.

In Short

• RPSC cancels RO, EO exam due to cheating reports
• ATS and SOG uncover widespread use of Bluetooth devices
• RPSC to re-conduct the exam for fair selection

The Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) has officially cancelled the 2022 Revenue Officer (RO) Grade-2 and Executive Officer (EO) Grade-4 Recruitment Exam after discovering widespread cheating.

Over 1.96 lakh candidates took this exam on May 14, 2023, competing for 111 positions. However, as investigations unfolded, the Commission decided to scrap the results entirely and re-conduct the exam to ensure fairness.

A significant breakthrough came when a case related to the exam was registered at Naya Shahar Police Station in Bikaner on May 4, 2023, following reports of cheating.

By August 6, 2023, a police challan detailed the extensive use of electronic devices for cheating within exam centres. This led RPSC to request a more thorough investigation by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Special Operations Group (SOG) on June 12, 2024.

RE-VERIFICATION AND SOG INTERVENTION

The investigation intensified as RPSC began a fresh document verification process from August 2 to August 8, 2024. Concerns about document authenticity for some candidates raised more red flags, prompting a follow-up request to ATS and SOG on August 14, 2024.

This move proved fruitful, with ATS and SOG uncovering damning evidence by August 28, 2024, confirming suspicions of an organised cheating operation.

Several individuals were subsequently arrested on October 19 in Jaipur, linking them directly to the paper leak.

CANCELLED EXAM TO BE RECONDUCTED

RPSC Secretary Ramniwas Mehta stated that the exam cancellation decision was essential due to evidence that many candidates cheated using Bluetooth devices.

"Three reports were filed in this case. In such a situation, the Commission has decided to cancel the examination and conduct it again,” said Mehta.

This decision aims to maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and provide a fair opportunity to all candidates.

(With agency inputs)