SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) on Sunday cancelled the written examination for the post of Junior Engineer (Electrical) in the Power Development Department, following widespread public uproar and allegations of a paper leak.
The OMR-based exam, held earlier in the day, was conducted at 35 designated centres across Jammu and Srinagar. According to an official notice issued by the Controller of Examinations, JKSSB, the test was successfully held at 34 venues but could not be conducted at one centre due to weather-related disruptions.
“In view of the circumstances, the Board has decided to cancel the examination conducted on 24.08.2025. The same shall be held afresh and a new date will be notified separately,” the notification reads.
However, beyond the weather-related issues, the cancellation appears to be prompted by allegations of malpractice, including videos circulating on social media allegedly showing students solving question papers in advance of the exam. Several aspirants staged protests outside examination centres, demanding accountability and a transparent recruitment process.
Reacting to the controversy, PDP MLA Waheed ur Rehman Para accused the government of failing the youth. “Scam after scam, and now another SSB paper leak. Students are seen openly trying to solve problems, yet after banning books and locking schools, the government’s sale of exam papers is another blow to J&K’s youth,” Para wrote on social media platform X.
This is not the first time JKSSB has faced criticism over alleged irregularities in examinations. Earlier recruitment tests have also come under scrutiny, prompting investigations and cancellations. -(KL)
