Following the detection of a hi-tech cheating racket in the entrance examination of the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has decided to install mobile jammers in the Punjab Civil Services (preliminary) examination to be held on November 25 in Chandigarh.
The PPSC is spending Rs 2 crore on conducting the exam. The commission has also hired private security agencies and videography teams to keep tabs on any illegal activity in the exam centres.
Lt Gen RS Sujlana (retd), PPSC chairman, said about 43,000 candidates would appear in the exam at 124 centres for 160 posts of PCS and allied services.
"Mobile phones, electronic devices or any other gadget would not be allowed inside the exam centre. Moreover, there would be no facility inside or outside the centre for the collection and safe custody of such items. We are taking no chances," the chairman said.
"We have also asked the UT administration and the police to provide us women constables and policemen for frisking of candidates with metal detectors," he added.
In an effort to ensure transparency and confidentiality, the PPSC has printed the question papers from a high security press situated in a distant, undisclosed location. The papers will reach Chandigarh under security cover on the exam day.
{{/usCountry}}In an effort to ensure transparency and confidentiality, the PPSC has printed the question papers from a high security press situated in a distant, undisclosed location. The papers will reach Chandigarh under security cover on the exam day.
{{/usCountry}}Sujlana said the PPSC would keep OMR (optical mark recognition) answer sheets under security, adding that the exam results would be declared between December 10 and 16. The PPSC will shortlist 2,100 to 2,200 candidates for the main examination.
The PPSC chairman said the mains would begin in the first week of January.
Non-serious applications
The PPSC chairman said, "We have rejected 167 frivolous application forms which carried blurred photos, a photograph of a child wearing shorts, fictitious names and other such details.