PRAYAGRAJ: Over half of the candidates who had registered for the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Exam-2023 chose not to appear for the exam, revealed a recent Right to Information (RTI) response from the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
As per the information furnished by the SSC under the RTI Act, out of the total 24,74,030 candidates who had registered, only 12,36,202 candidates (49.97%) participated in the computer-based Tier-I Examination held on July 27. The remaining 12,37,828 candidates (50.03%) abstained from taking the exam.
The SSC waives the fee for women, SC, ST, and ex-servicemen candidates. However, other candidates are charged a fee of ₹100. Among the 2,47,40,300 candidates who had applied for CGL-2023, the largest group, consisting of 9,47,864 candidates, belonged to the OBC category. Additionally, 5,83,421 candidates from the unreserved category applied, along with 5,34,968 SC candidates, 2,18,875 ST candidates, and 1,88,902 candidates from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category, according to data shared by the SSC.
Eliminating SC and ST candidates from the count, around 17.20 lakh applicants (approximately 69.51%) had submitted the required fee for the recruitment exam. Assuming that 50% of these fee-paying candidates were absent on the exam day, the number exceeds 8.5 lakh. Although the exact count of female and ex-servicemen candidates remains undisclosed, assuming their numbers to be around 25%, which totals around 2 lakh, it implies that the remaining 6.5 lakhs who paid the fee at a rate of ₹100 per candidate resulted in a fee collection exceeding ₹6 crores but did not appear for the recruitment exam.
{{/usCountry}}Eliminating SC and ST candidates from the count, around 17.20 lakh applicants (approximately 69.51%) had submitted the required fee for the recruitment exam. Assuming that 50% of these fee-paying candidates were absent on the exam day, the number exceeds 8.5 lakh. Although the exact count of female and ex-servicemen candidates remains undisclosed, assuming their numbers to be around 25%, which totals around 2 lakh, it implies that the remaining 6.5 lakhs who paid the fee at a rate of ₹100 per candidate resulted in a fee collection exceeding ₹6 crores but did not appear for the recruitment exam.
{{/usCountry}}The SSC’s CGL exam is held for filling coveted positions like tax assistant in the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), auditors in the Controller General of Defence Accounts, inspector (central excise) in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, assistant section officers in the Ministry of External Affairs, sub-inspector in the Central Bureau of Investigation, senior administrative assistant in the Military Engineering Services, Ministry of Defence, and sub-inspector/junior intelligence officer in the Narcotics Control Bureau (Ministry of Home Affairs), among several others.
Only 39% attended CHSL exam
The SSC’s data also reveals that the Combined Higher Secondary Level (CHSL) Exam -2023, held on August 17, also saw a significant number of candidates not showing up for the examination. Out of the total 32,35,474 candidates who had registered, 12,63,090 individuals (approximately 39%) appeared for the examination, while a notable 19,72,384 candidates (around 61%) chose not to participate.