Kohima, July 19 (MExN): The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Nagaland has expressed disappointment over the recently conducted Forest Guard recruitment examination by the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, alleging serious lapses in procedure and transparency.
In a press release, the NSUI Nagaland said it had received “numerous complaints and feedback from aspirants” and felt “compelled to bring several serious grievances into the public domain and urge the department to take immediate steps for redressal.”
The NSUI Nagaland said it would be filing a Right to Information (RTI) application once the recruitment process is completed to “seek factual clarity on these irregularities.”
Among the key concerns raised was the examination format. “Candidates were not provided with OMR sheets, a basic standard in any competitive examination. Instead, they were instructed to mark their answers directly in the test booklet which was then collected by the department,” the NSUI stated.
It further alleged that correction pens were reportedly allowed inside the examination halls, creating “a high potential for manipulation and tampering, which cannot and should not be ignored.”
“Adding to this concern it has been widely circulated on social media that the test booklet was later found in the hands of an employee of the department. The department's response to this incident has been vague and unsatisfactory,” the NSUI stated.
The students’ organisation also raised questions about procedural violations, noting that “candidates who did not qualify the mandatory walking test were still allowed to appear for the written examination.” It also cited “reports of overage candidates being permitted to sit for the exam in violation of the eligibility criteria.”
Confusion regarding the marking scheme was also flagged. “While some centres informed candidates that there would be no negative marking, others did not, leading to widespread confusion and unfair disadvantage to many,” it stated.
One of the most serious allegations made by NSUI Nagaland was the absence of proper identity verification. “In numerous examination centres across the state, there was no proper verification of documents to confirm the identity of the candidates. Such negligence not only violates basic examination protocols but also opens the door for impersonation compromising the credibility and fairness of the recruitment process,” it alleged.
“We also strongly urge the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change to address these issues transparently and restore the trust of the aspirants,” it added.
