The re-examination for the recruitment of 545 Police Sub-Inspectors (PSIs) on Tuesday will be held only in Bengaluru, in a step to prevent malpractices like during the exam held in October 2021. Kalaburagi district had emerged as a key hub of exam malpractices in that exam, following which the results were rejected and a re-exam ordered.
Allegations of irregularities have cast a long shadow on even the re-exams after an audio clip where a police official is heard “assuring a job for money and giving question paper beforehand” went viral. However, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) probing the allegations said State intelligence official Lingaiah, whose voice is in the clip, claimed to have been doing a “sting operation”. “Investigations so far have not revealed any question paper leak or exchange of money,” an official said
The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) that is conducting the exams this time said all measures, including adequate security for the smooth conduct of the exam had been taken. S. Ramya, executive director of KEA, said in a press release on Monday, that tight security arrangements have been made to prevent any irregularity. Candidates have been instructed to mandatorily follow the dress code. It is prohibited to bring electronic devices and mobile phones. Everyone appearing for the exam will be screened through a metal detector and senior police officers will also visit the examination centres.
Bengaluru City Police Commissioner has clamped prohibitory orders in an area with a 200 metre radius around 117 exam centres in the city on Tuesday. He has also ordered all photocopy shops around these exam centres to be shut from morning 7 a.m. till exams are completed. The examination will be held from 10.30 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. and six police personnel, including four armed constables and two women personnel, have been deployed at each examination centre. A total of 40 police battalions have been deployed on examination duty. As many as 54,000 candidates are likely to attend.
