Editor,

I would like to draw the attention of the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB) to an issue relating to examination arrangements in recruitment tests.

In the recent special recruitment drive for uniformed services conducted by the APSSB, as well as in certain past constable recruitment examinations, candidates at some examination centres were reportedly seated two on a single bench-table. While such arrangements may have been made due to space constraints, this raise concerns regarding the fairness of the examination process.

APSSB examinations are conducted through objective-type questions and OMR answer sheets. It is common for candidates to first mark answers on the question paper and later transfer them to the OMR sheet. When candidates are seated very close to one another, answer choices marked on a neighbouring candidate’s question paper may become visible.

Although question papers may differ in the order or numbering of questions across Sections A, B, C, and D, the questions themselves often remain the same. This may create opportunities for candidates to observe and remember answer options marked by others and subsequently transfer them to their own OMR sheets.

Recruitment examinations today are highly competitive, with a large number of applicants competing for limited vacancies. In such circumstances, even a difference of one or two marks can determine whether a candidate qualifies or falls short of the cut-off. Therefore, every aspect of the examination process must be conducted with fairness, precision, and transparency.

I respectfully urge the APSSB to review its examination arrangement and ensure adequate spacing between candidates, proper invigilation, and better hall management in future examinations. Such measures will help safeguard merit and protect the interests of genuine and deserving candidates.

S Natung,

Itanagar