Bhubaneswar: Police have arrested 117 people over suspected malpractice, which led to deferment of written test for the Combined Police Service Examination 2024, officials informed on Wednesday.
Among them are 114 candidates and three agents accused of facilitating the racket. They have been booked under Sections s319(2)/318(4)/338/336(3)/340(2)/111/61(2)/3(5) of BNS along with with Section 11(1)/12(1) of The Odisha Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024.
According to police, the candidates had conspired to acquire confidential question papers in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, before returning to Bhubaneswar to appear for the test. Each candidate had agreed to pay Rs 25 lakh, with Rs 10 lakh as advance and the remaining Rs 15 lakh after getting the job.
“This was an organised attempt to sabotage the SI examination,” Odisha Police stated, adding that more agents are suspected to be involved.
The racket came to the fore after Berhampur police intercepted three buses near Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh on Monday night and detained 120 candidates, who were allegedly being taken to Vijayanagaram for ‘special coaching’ arranged by the private agency conducting the recruitment test of sub-inspectors (SIs) in the Odisha Police.
The exam was originally scheduled for October 5 and 6.
117 Persons arrested for sabotaging Odisha Police Recruitment Board Exam
The raid was conducted on the basis of an anonymous call about a huge malpractice related to the upcoming exam. These 114 candidates boarded the three buses at Bhubaneswar near Baramunda.
The subsequent interrogation revealed that 114 of them were exam applicants, travelling with the help of three agents linked to a wider network.
Hours later on Tuesday, Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB) informed that the written examination of CPSE 2024 has been “postponed for some unforeseen development”. Fresh dates for the examination will be announced later, it added.
This is for the third time that the recruitment test of SIs has been postponed.
Earlier in the day, the OPRB had issued a press statement stating, “It has come to our notice that some mischievous elements are trying to involve some candidates in illegal activities like malpractice in written examination on payment of bribe. The OPRB is committed to ensure free, fair and transparent recruitment examination for CPSE 2024. Taking and giving bribe are criminal offences. Stringent action will be taken against all involved in such malpractice,” it added.
The Board said it is thoroughly inquiring into the reports of malpractice and requested all to cooperate and provide any such information available at their end.
NAVEEN PATNAIK EXPRESSES SHOCK
Commenting on the trend of cancellations and postponement of competitive examinations over irregularities and paper leaks, Leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik said it pointed towards a complete failure of governance under BJP. “This is the fourth recruitment examination to be scrapped since July 2025 amid allegations of malpractice and question paper leaks. The BJP government needs to fix all issues immediately to restore the trust of people,” he said.
Naveen said on July 20, the Special OTET-2025 was cancelled just hours before exams over an alleged paper leak. Similarly, on July 30, the Odisha Subordinate Staff Selection Commission (OSSSC) cancelled its combined recruitment examination for revenue inspectors, assistant revenue inspectors, Amins and ICDS supervisors which was scheduled between August 1 and September 4, citing irregularities in the preliminary process.
“On August 22, the rescheduled Special OTET-2025 was postponed again with the Board of Secondary Education citing ‘unavoidable circumstances’, leaving aspirants frustrated. These repeated disruptions highlight a troubling pattern in Odisha’s recruitment system, undermining trust and affecting lakhs of job seekers across the state,” he added.
