LAHORE: A number of candidates on Saturday protested outside the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) examination centres in Johar Town and Lawrence Road and alleged serious errors in the paper.

The protesters were carrying placards inscribed with slogans against the PPSC for leaking the papers and violating merit.

Later, a heavy police contingent reached the spot and dispersed the protesters.

One of the candidates who appeared for the position of lecturer alleged that the jobs were already sold and the examination was being held as a formality. The candidates had appeared for the economics test on Saturday.

Earlier, candidates, who appeared for a written test conducted for the post of lecturer (physical education) [allegedly] spoke of mistakes and errors.

The test was held on Dec 20 and thereafter a number of candidates took to Twitter to highlight their grievances and demanded that the PPSC authorities look into the issue.

Some candidates had also shared screenshots of their formal written complaints which they had submitted to the PPSC. They urged others to follow suit to get justice.

The candidates had alleged that besides numerous spelling mistakes, there were a few questions which had more than one correct answer, which really confused them while attempting the MCQ-based test.

PPSC Secretary Nawaz Khalid Arbi rejected the allegations while talking to Dawn and said sometimes candidates could not attempt the test successfully and they would try to make an issue out of nothing.

He said the commission had asked the candidates to present any proof [about paper leak] but they could not do so.

He said the PPSC officials had caught red-handed a candidate who was trying to take the paper out of the centre [after test on Saturday] while adding the commission also had offered the students to lodge complaints and the staff would show them their papers and would also remove objections.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2020