SC asks Centre to deposit Rs 10 lakh for expenses of court-appointed panel on SSC exams

The Supreme Court Monday directed the Centre to deposit Rs 10 lakh in an account to meet the expenses of a court-appointed high-powered committee, set up for suggesting measures to make competitive entrance exams fool proof.

The top court had on May 9 constituted a 7-member committee, headed by former apex court judge Justice (retd) G S Singhvi, while hearing a plea which has sought probe into alleged paper leak of 2017 Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exams.

The matter came up on Monday before a bench of Justices S A Bobde and B R Gavai which referred to a recent e-mail sent by Justice (retd) Singhvi to the additional registrar of the apex court registry.

"In view of the aforesaid e-mail received from the chairman of the court appointed committee, we direct the respondent Government of India to deposit a sum of Rs 10 lakh in a particular account for the following purposes: (a) to meet expenses for arranging the venue and secretarial assistance. (b) To make the payment to the members of the committee for their travel and stay during the course of deliberations by the committee," the bench noted in its order.

The apex court also directed that further amount will have to be deposited by the Centre "as an when an intimation is received from the chairman of the court appointed committee".

On May 9, the top court had given relief to lakhs of students, who appeared in the SSC combined graduate level and higher secondary level examinations in 2017, and paved the way for declaration of results by vacating its stay on it.

It had also constituted the committee and said that the panel may submit a report within three months from the date of its first meeting.

The other members of the committee are: co-founder of tech giant Infosys Nandan Nilekani, renowned computer scientist Vijay P Bhatkar, renowned mathematician Rajeev L Karandikar, retired controller of examinations of CBSE M C Sharma, former DG of NIC B K Gairola and serving controller of examinations of CBSE Sanyam Bhardwaj.

The committee will look into several aspects, including whether as per the investigation done by the CBI in the paper leak of 2017 exams, is it possible to conclude that the entire examination process could have been tainted by leakage and if yes, then how the beneficiaries would be identified.

It will also suggest measures which may be required to be taken for future examinations with a view to curb the possibility of any malpractices.

On August 31 last year, the top court had stayed the declaration of result of the 2017 Staff Selection Commission exams which were marred by allegations of paper leak, saying it seemed that the entire test and system was "tainted".

The petitioner, through his counsel Govind Jee, had earlier told the court that a committee should be constituted to look into the matter and suggest systematic changes in conduct of such exams in future.

Amid the protests, the SSC had recommended a CBI probe into the allegations of paper leak.

The SSC is a government body which conducts examinations to recruit staff at multiple levels in various ministries and departments.

Several lakh students appear in SSC examination each year and enter government services in Group C and D Categories of jobs once they qualify.

The SSC Combined Graduate Level exam has a four-tier system, in which tier I and tier II are computer-based, while in tier III and IV, job applicants take up a descriptive paper and a computer proficiency test or skill test.