Is the Rajasthan OMR Scam Demanding a Probe into Recent Exams?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Jaipur, Jan 22 (NationPress) Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, has called for an extensive inquiry into all recruitment assessments carried out in recent years following the revelation that employees of the Rajasthan Staff Selection Board (RSMSSB) engaged in OMR sheet manipulation.
Gehlot raised significant concerns regarding the examination system's integrity, accusing the BJP-led state administration of politicizing the paper leak situation.
In a post on X, he stated, “The discovery of OMR sheet tampering within the Rajasthan Staff Selection Board has triggered serious worries about the system.”
Citing a report from the Special Operations Group (SOG), he mentioned, "The malpractice initiated during the previous BJP government in 2018 and persisted without interruption until 2026."
Gehlot described this finding as “extremely alarming.” He pointed out that the personnel implicated in the fraud remained active and stationed at the Staff Selection Board even during 2024 and 2025. He emphasized that all examinations conducted in the last two years are now under scrutiny.
“All these assessments were overseen by the same system and staff who have now been implicated in OMR tampering. As a result, the legitimacy of these exams is profoundly questionable,” he wrote.
He also referenced ongoing complaints from candidates about unusually elevated cut-off scores in recruitment exams over the past two years, asserting that these concerns now appear warranted and require clarification. Gehlot urged the Chief Minister to initiate a thorough investigation into all assessments conducted in 2024 and 2025.
“I trust the government will act promptly and decisively, considering the future of our youth,” he added.
Highlighting measures taken during the prior Congress government, Gehlot mentioned that Rajasthan was the first state in India to implement a rigorous law against paper leaks, which includes life imprisonment, asset confiscation, and penalties up to Rs 10 crore.
He pointed out that, for the first time in history, a member of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) faced arrest. During the Congress administration, the SOG executed over 250 arrests and used bulldozers to demolish property belonging to paper leak mafia members. “Regardless of whether it’s a Congress or BJP government, those who perpetrate irregularities must face punishment,” Gehlot asserted.
The former CM maintained that the Congress government never permitted politics to interfere with justice. He stated that wherever deficiencies were identified, corrective actions were implemented, including the cancellation of examinations when necessary for the benefit of students.
“No matter which party is in power, anyone found guilty must be prosecuted under the strict anti-paper leak law to ensure justice,” he concluded.