The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) has disqualified 99 candidates, who are suspected to have indulged in malpractices, while appearing in Group-IV examinations in Keelakkarai and Rameswaram exam centres. The Commission has further debarred these 99 candidates from appearing in its examinations for life.
During a preliminary investigation into the issue, the TNPSC found that these candidates in consultation with their agents, chose the exam centres in Keelakkarai and Rameswaram and were supplied with answers by their agents, an official release stated.
A First Investigation Report (FIR) has been registered against these 99 disqualified candidates and suspected agents for initiating criminal proceedings.
“Further investigation also revealed that the suspected agents along with those in examination duty in these centres, had replaced answer sheets of 52 candidates. Of these, 39 have ranked among the top 100 candidates,” it pointed out.
Since 39 of these candidates ranking in the top 100 candidates have been disqualified, they have been replaced by another qualified 39 candidates and the certificate verification process is on for them.
TNPSC held the Group-IV exams for filling up a total of 9,398 posts on September 1 last year, in which 16,29,865 candidates appeared. The results were declared on November 12 last year and the certificate verification process is on. Posts on social media had claimed there were malpractices at the Rameswaram and Keelakkarai exam centres in Ramanathapuram and that most of the candidates, who appeared in these centres stood in the top 100 ranks. Following these allegations, the TNPSC had initiated a probe into the issue.
The TNPSC has claimed that there have been no malpractices elsewhere, except at the exam centres in Keelakkarai and Rameswaram. It further reiterated that candidates should not fall prey to the promises of agents to clear the exams.
