Massive protests erupted across India on Thursday as SSC Selection Post Phase 13 exam aspirants took to the streets under a "Delhi Chalo" movement, according to a report by The Hindu, converging at Jantar Mantar to demand answers for what they called systematic mismanagement of their recruitment examination.
The ongoing exam, which started on July 24 and runs until August 1, has witnessed numerous issues, with students angry over alleged administrative failures, technical breakdowns, and what protesters described as heavy-handed police tactics against peaceful demonstrators.
Aspirants have raised serious concerns about exam centres being located up to 500 kilometres from their homes, only to arrive and discover last-minute cancellations. In one particularly striking allegation, protesters described venues where cattle heads were kept on the ground floor while students attempted to take their exams on upper floors.
The deployment of bouncers at examination centres has particularly angered the students, who question why security personnel typically used for crowd control were present at academic venues where candidates were simply seeking better examination conditions.
Technical issues have plagued the examination process, with widespread reports of server crashes, unresponsive computer systems, and malfunctioning equipment. Protesters revealed that SSC officials acknowledged receiving over 55,000 complaints related to the current exam during recent meetings.
With three lakh students appearing for the current exam and 55,000 registered complaints, concerns have been raised about the upcoming SSC-CGL exam scheduled for August 13, which expects 30 lakh aspirants and the system's ability to handle such volume.
Students have also questioned the vendor selection process, alleging that the government awarded the tender to a company with a questionable track record, raising doubts about entrusting such a crucial examination to an organization with a problematic background.
The financial and emotional toll on aspirants has been significant, with many spending thousands of rupees to reach remote centres only to be informed of cancellations with no clarity on rescheduling, resulting in wasted preparation time and resources.
Social media has amplified the students' voices, with hashtags like #SSC_System_Sudharo, #SSCMisManagement, and #SSCVendorFailure gaining traction on X, a social media platform, drawing support from across the country.
The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) has thrown its weight behind the protesters, with president Varun Choudhary joining the demonstration and alleging that the police used lathi charges against peacefully protesting students.
