In an embarrassing administrative error, the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) has cancelled the written examination for Anthropology papers I and II of the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) examination-2023 after discovering that questions for the two papers were completely interchanged.

According to The New Indian Express the OPSC announced Wednesday, April 30, that both exams will now be re-conducted on May 14, 2025, following significant backlash from candidates who discovered during the April 27 examination that paper-I contained questions from the paper-II syllabus and vice-versa.

"Keeping in view the dislocation arising because of the interchange of questions of anthropology optional paper-I and paper-II... and considering the grievances of candidates received by OPSC, the commission has decided that the written examination shall be re-conducted," the commission stated in its official notice.

The rescheduled exams will follow the original timing pattern, with paper-I running from 9 am to 12 pm and paper-II from 2 pm to 5 pm. Candidates with disabilities will receive an additional hour for each exam. All answer scripts from the cancelled April 27 examination will not be evaluated.

Candidates can download admission certificates from the OPSC website (http://opsc.gov.in) beginning May 8.