Who Are The Students Protesting Against the SSC Paper Leak?

The SSC in February had conducted an online CGL examination, the question paper of which was allegedly leaked.

Students protesting against the SSC question paper leak in Delhi.

(Photo altered by The Quint)

“Sir, this is my last chance. If I don’t clear the exam this time, all my dreams will be shattered,” said a 29-year-old, teary eyed Karan. For the past week, he has been protesting with thousands of other students outside the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) office in the national capital.

The SSC, on 17-22 February 2018, had conducted an online Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination. Reports of a paper leak of the examination have drawn thousands of students to Delhi to demand a probe led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Students protest outside the SSC office in Delhi.(Photo: Shadab Moizee/The Quint)

Who are these students? Why have these students dropped their books and picked up placards? The Quint spoke to a few of them to hear their version of the story.

Name: Karan
Age: 29 years

I first did BCA and then MCA. I was being paid mere Rs 10,000 after doing MCA. I thought SSC would help me get a good government job. I have appeared for the test thrice. But every time, I fell short of a few points. Now we realise that we weren’t falling short of anything, somebody else was being helped

Karan

(Photo: Shadab Moizee/The Quint)

Karan said that he would have kept blaming himself if this scandal wouldn’t have been uncovered. He plans to take up the Rs 10,000 job if things don’t work out eventually.

Name: Praveen Kumar
Age: 22 years

I have come from Jharkhand to protest. There are five members in my family and my father is the sole breadwinner. I have pursued Physics honours but that won’t get me a job. That is why I decided to appear for CGL. Some people are saying that the government has agreed to our demands and a CBI enquiry will be conducted. But the enquiry should not be about just one examination, it should be about all the examinations conducted by SSC.

Praveen Kumar

Praveen Kumar(Photo: Shadab Moizee/The Quint)

“Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” Just a Slogan, Not a Reality

Name: Manju
Age: 22 years

One one hand the prime minister shouts sligans like “beti padhao”, but when the daughters of the country want to study and live a progressive life, such leaks take place. The fight for women is harder, they have to first fight the societal prejudices and then the corruption in the system.

Manju

(Photo: Shadab Moizee/The Quint)

“I’m a Farmer’s Son”

Name: Swapnil
Age: 25 years

My father is a farmer. He still managed to educate me and allowed me to pursue BTech. I came to Delhi after my graduation to pursue SSC. I always fell short of 1-2 points. We would have never taken to streets but we are furious. My family does not know I am protesting here, or they’ll think I was the one who did not study well. They do not know that education does not matter here, money does.

Swapnil

Swapnil(Photo: Shadab Moizee/The Quint)

"Leaders of This Country Are Busy Dividing Hindus and Muslims"

Name: Savita
Age: 25 years

Savita was at the forefront of the protest. When asked if she was one of the leaders of the movement, she said that the actual leaders of the country are busy dividing the society on communal lines.

We have come to fight for our rights. I have appeared for the SSC exams twice. I always cleared the pre-exams but never the mains. Now I understand why I could never do it. SSC stands for ‘Special Scam Commission’.

Savita

Savita(Photo: Shadab Moizee/The Quint)

"The Media is Either Sleeping or Busy Dividing the Country"

24 year-old-Nitin cleared the exam in 2015, but hasn’t received a joining letter yet.

Name: Nitin
Age: 24 Years

I appeared for the exam again this year, since I didn’t get my joining letter the first time. I am very stressed. But the media does not care about all such issues. The media is busy dividing the country. If the protests weren’t in Delhi, the media would not have cared.

Nitin

Nitin(Photo: Shadab Moizee/The Quint)

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday, 6 March ordered a CBI enquiry in the matter and urged the students to end their protest. The matter will be heard by the Supreme Court on 12 March.

The protesting students welcomed the Home Ministry’s move, but have not withdrawn their protest as they want an enquiry into every examination conducted by the SSC.

(This story was orginally published on Hindi Quint.)

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