Widespread Anger Over SSC Phase 13 Exam Mismanagement

In a growing wave of discontent, thousands of aspirants across India have taken to the streets to protest against the alleged mismanagement of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) Selection Post Phase 13 recruitment examination. The protests, which began earlier this week, continued for the second consecutive day in several major cities including Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Patna. Students and teachers have accused the SSC of repeated examination failures, inadequate communication, and questionable partnerships with third-party agencies.

On Friday, demonstrators gathered outside the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in Delhi, raising slogans and demanding systemic reforms. The protest was also attended by prominent educators, including Neetu Singh—popularly known among aspirants as “Neetu ma’am”—who voiced students’ frustrations over years of administrative lapses and poor exam governance.

What Triggered the Student Unrest?

The immediate cause of the protests is the repeated cancellation of the SSC Phase 13 exam, which many students had travelled long distances to attend. Some candidates reached their centers only to be told the exam had been called off without prior notification. In one extreme case, a student from Jaipur was allotted an exam center in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands—highlighting the absurdities of the allocation system.

In addition to logistical errors, candidates reported several operational issues on exam day. These included server failures, non-functioning mice and keyboards, blank computer screens, and delays due to Aadhaar-based verification glitches. Several aspirants also alleged rude and inappropriate behavior from security staff and on-ground personnel at testing centers.

Concerns Over Exam Conducting Agency

A major point of contention is the SSC’s decision to award the exam contract to Eduquity, a private testing agency that students claim has previously been blacklisted. Neetu Singh alleged that Eduquity has been linked to the notorious Vyapam scam, involving cheating, impersonation, and bribery in competitive exams.

“How can such a crucial exam be handed over to an agency with such a tainted history?” Singh questioned in a statement to the press. She further claimed that despite concerns, Eduquity has also been assigned to conduct the upcoming SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) exam, which is expected to see over 3 million candidates.

This decision has sparked alarm among aspirants, many of whom are now calling for Eduquity to be removed from all future engagements with the SSC.

SSC’s Silence Adds to Student Frustration

What has deepened the unrest is the lack of clear communication from SSC. Students allege that they have not received any clarification or accountability from officials regarding the repeated disruptions. While admit cards are typically released four days prior to the exam, many candidates reported not receiving theirs even two days before the scheduled date.

Efforts by students and teachers to meet with SSC or DoPT officials have so far been unsuccessful. According to Neetu Singh, the protestors did not initially intend to demonstrate but wanted to engage in dialogue. However, the absence of SSC representatives led to escalated tensions, resulting in detentions by police and temporary chaos at protest sites like Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

Demands for Reform and Transparency

Students have put forward a clear set of demands:

  1. A formal inquiry into the repeated failures of the SSC Phase 13 exam.

  2. Termination of Eduquity’s contract and blacklisting of the agency from future exams.

  3. Timely and transparent release of admit cards and exam schedules.

  4. Improved infrastructure at exam centers to avoid technical failures.

  5. Reforms in exam center allocation to prevent impractical assignments.

  6. An official apology from SSC and accountability for mishandled exams.

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