An unused airstrip in Odisha’s Sambalpur district was converted into a temporary examination venue after an unexpectedly large number of candidates turned up for a Home Guard recruitment test.

Officials said that more than 8,000 applicants appeared for a written examination for 187 Home Guard posts on December 16.

With limited indoor facilities available to accommodate such a turnout, the district police opted to conduct the test at the Jamadarpali airstrip, an open stretch of land used only occasionally, Hindustan Times reports.

Pictures and videos from the site, showing thousands of candidates seated in rows across the runway with invigilators and police personnel monitoring the process, quickly became viral on social media.

“To conduct a smooth recruitment, the police deployed additional force along with drones for aerial monitoring of the venue and to ensure discipline,” a senior official was quoted.

Although the minimum educational qualification is a Class V pass, the crowd included many applicants with higher qualifications, including 12th-grade, graduate and postgraduate degrees.

Some of the candidates competing for 187 Home Guard positions held MBA and MCA degrees. According to a news report, Odisha's Home Guards are paid Rs 639 a day.

The written test, conducted on December 16 for the recruitment of Home Guard positions across 24 police stations in the district, consisted of multiple parts, including a paragraph writing and general knowledge section.