PSI scam: 400 students protest against government's decision

Over 400 candidates who have come to Bengaluru from many districts are willing to sit on hunger strike until the re-examination order is cancelled.

Several police sub-inspector (PSI) candidates who had been shortlisted for recruitment have gathered at Bengaluru's Freedom Park on Saturday to protest against the government's decision to cancel the exam. The protesting students want the government to revoke its decision, claiming it's not known who took the exam illegally and who passed it honestly.

Over 400 candidates, who have come to Bengaluru from many districts  are willing to sit on hunger strike until the re-examination order is cancelled. (twitter)

According to reports, over 400 candidates have come from many districts and are willing to sit on hunger strike until the re-examination order is cancelled.

“I had been studying for last 3 years to pass this exam, and now after being shortlisted we will be made to rewrite the exam again after three months. I haven't even prepared for it. Why are we being punished for a crime we never committed. Arrest those who took the exam illegally,” a protesting student told TV9 Kannada.

Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, has stated that he will soon announce the PSI re-examination date. Speaking in Shivamogga, he said there is only one element of the PSI exam irregularity. Many have already been arrested for the case. Re-examining it now imperative for the government. The government has not cancelled the notification and the test. It is clear that only those who have already written the test will be allowed to take the retest.

What is the PSI Scam?

Several candidates writing the PSI recruitment exam for the 545 sub-inspector posts held in October last year allegedly used means of fraud to score well.

Six rank winners among 12 have been arrested for fraud in the recruitment exams. The scam first came to light when officials noticed that candidates who scored high all took the exam at the Kalaburagi centre. The suspicion, that a fraud has taken place, was confirmed when a police officer told media that each candidate had paid Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs before the exams.

The state government then ordered a detailed probe into the matter and handed the case over to CID. Since then, Congress and BJP leaders have been head-butting and pointing fingers at one another, especially after the CID uncovered the alleged involvement of leaders from both parties in the scam.

The police have so far arrested 22 people in connection with the scam, including Hagaragi and those arrested along with her. This list also includes a block president of the Congress party for the Afzalpur region in the Kalaburagi district, R D Patil, who is said to have played a major role in the rigging of the exam.