Now, Assam faces charges of irregularities in civil service exams

After Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, it is now the turn of Assam to face charges of irregularities in the state civil services examinations and recruitment. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday announced his government would set up an inquiry commission to probe the allegations.

This followed a series of accusations by the opposition parties and NGOs besides Congress leaders that the kin and wards of MLAs and officials were favoured. There were also allegations that jobs were distributed and sold.

Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) is headed by Rakesh Kumar Paul. He was allegedly made APSC chairman for ensuring thousands of votes to help the chief minister’s son Gaurav Gogoi win the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from the Kaliabor seat. Paul hails from Kaliabor town in central Assam.

NGOs such as Assam Public Works said there were too many irregularities to ignore. The beneficiaries include Nandini Kakati, the niece of the chief minister’s wife Dolly Gogoi. She was selected for the Assam Police Service despite scoring below 50% marks in her Class 10, 12 and BA exams.

The sons of a minister, two former ministers and a DIG of police were selected too. And topping the list of candidates selected for the state police service was Swarup Kumar Bhattacharya, who has three criminal cases pending against him.

Paul denied any wrongdoing on the part of APSC. “The last exam was conducted in a fair and transparent manner,” he said.