Bihar government dismiss CSBC Chief SK Singhal over constable exam paper leak

Bihar's CM Nitish Kumar-led government has removed SK Singhal, the chairman of the Central Selection Board of Constables (CSBC), from his position almost three months after the cancellation of the constable recruitment exam due to a paper leak.

The announcement, made by the state home department, indicated that Shobha Ohotkar, a 1990 batch IPS officer and the director general-cum-commandant general of Bihar home guards and fire services, has been assigned the additional charge of the board until further orders.

The constable recruitment exam was initially slated to take place over three days – October 1, 7, and October 15, with over 1.8 million candidates applying for 21,391 vacancies. However, the first day of the exam witnessed a question paper leak, leading to the cancellation of the entire recruitment process.

This decision was a major embarrassment for the government, prompting swift action, including the lodging of 74 FIRs across 23 districts and 80 arrests. The CSBC paper leak investigation by the Economic Offence Unit (EOU) highlighted the involvement of influential figures and suggested the early leakage of questions, raising concerns about the examination's integrity.