Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Friday, 12 June wrote to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Employees Selection Board (ESB). The letter cited technical failures, suspected manipulation in the tendering process, and the impact on an estimated 40 lakh unemployed youth in the state.

What Digvijaya Singh Alleged

Singh stated that a delegation of unemployed aspirants had met him and flagged serious deficiencies in how recruitment examinations were being conducted, as well as alleged irregularities in the awarding of contracts for examination management. He argued that the pattern of tender cancellations and eligibility changes pointed to a deliberate effort to favour a specific firm.

According to Singh, tenders floated in 2023 and 2024 for conducting ESB examinations had reportedly identified certain companies as technically qualified — yet both tenders were subsequently cancelled. In the tender that followed, key eligibility criteria were reportedly modified, and the contract was ultimately awarded to a single firm, raising questions about transparency and fairness in the process.

Singh's Letter to the Chief Minister

'Millions of candidates have suffered mental stress, financial losses and wastage of valuable time due to repeated technical glitches in recruitment examinations conducted by the ESB. The circumstances under which earlier tenders were cancelled, and conditions later altered, require an impartial investigation,' Singh wrote in his letter to Yadav.

He further claimed that documents available to candidates suggested the company entrusted with conducting the examinations had previously faced government action, making it necessary to examine whether repeated changes and cancellations in the tender process were intended to benefit a particular firm.

The Demand for a High-Level Probe

'In the interest of nearly 40 lakh unemployed youth of Madhya Pradesh, the entire matter should be investigated either by the CBI or a high-level SIT. Those found responsible must face strict action so that the credibility of the recruitment system is protected,' Singh said in his letter.

The Congress leader called for accountability at the highest level, framing the issue not merely as a procedural lapse but as a systemic failure affecting the prospects of lakhs of young aspirants who depend on state recruitment examinations for government employment.

The Vyapam Shadow

The Madhya Pradesh Employees Selection Board — formerly known as the Professional Examination Board (PEB) or Vyapam — is the principal agency responsible for conducting recruitment examinations for various state government departments and admission tests for professional courses. The institution has remained under intense public scrutiny since the Vyapam scam, one of the country's largest and most far-reaching recruitment and admission controversies. Notably, this is not the first time the ESB has faced allegations of procedural manipulation since it was reconstituted following the Vyapam fallout.

What Happens Next

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's office had not issued a formal response at the time of reporting. The Congress's demand puts pressure on the state government to either order an independent inquiry or defend the ESB's tendering process publicly. With assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh still a few years away, how the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responds to this politically sensitive issue — touching youth unemployment and institutional credibility — will be closely watched.