Guwahati, 16th September: Assam’s Director General of Police (DGP), G P Singh, has launched an inquiry following accusations of inappropriate physical checks on female candidates during the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE) for Grade III positions. The incident reportedly occurred at Swahid Smriti Senior Secondary School in Belsor, Nalbari district, sparking widespread outrage.
The controversy began when a female candidate publicly shared her disturbing experience on social media, describing the physical examination process as “disgraceful and pathetic.” In her Facebook post, she accused female personnel at the examination center of conducting intrusive body searches, including checks under undergarments, without offering privacy. “They put their hands inside our undergarments to check, which is disgraceful. Though only women were present, the way we were touched was unacceptable,” the candidate wrote. She further claimed that this invasive procedure was not conducted at other centers across the state.
DGP G P Singh swiftly responded to the growing public outcry, ordering a comprehensive investigation. He announced on X (formerly Twitter), “Reference complaint of overreach by women police personnel during checking of women candidates at Nalbari during the recruitment examination – Range DIG has been directed to enquire into the matter.” Singh assured that since the officials involved in the inquiry, including the Range DIG, District Commissioner, and Superintendent of Police of Nalbari, are all women, a swift and thorough investigation would follow.
The incident has led to widespread condemnation, with numerous candidates expressing their discomfort and distress. The candidate who posted her experience noted that friends at other centers did not face similar checks. “I have taken several competitive exams, but this was the first time I experienced such an inappropriate approach. Many women candidates at the center felt mentally harassed,” she added, urging Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to intervene.
In a related development, the DGP revealed a separate case in North Lakhimpur, where cheating materials were discovered hidden in a female candidate’s undergarments during the examination. “An FIR has been registered at North Lakhimpur PS today where cheating material papers were seized hidden inside a woman candidate’s undergarments,” Singh disclosed.
The ADRE, overseen by the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) on behalf of the State Level Recruitment Commission (SLRC), saw over 11 lakh candidates appear for the exam across 2,305 centers statewide. Despite the controversies, the examination proceeded as planned, with over 70,000 invigilators ensuring the smooth conduct of the test.
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