Candidates Boycott Karnataka Police Constable Exam, Seek Fresh Test

A police constable recruitment examination in Karnataka's Vijayapura district was disrupted on Sunday after hundreds of aspirants alleged serious procedural lapses during the written test, triggering protests and demands for a re-examination.

The unrest unfolded at Sharadamba PU College in Tikota, where candidates claimed there were delays in the distribution of question papers and inconsistencies in the handling of question booklets and OMR answer sheets. Many aspirants walked out of the examination hall before completing the test and staged demonstrations outside the centre.

According to several candidates, question papers that were scheduled to be distributed at 10.30 am reached them nearly 30 minutes late, affecting the time available for the examination. They further alleged that the procedure for issuing question papers and OMR sheets differed across classrooms, creating confusion and raising concerns about fairness.

Sources said candidates who exited the examination hall carrying question papers and OMR sheets were not permitted to return, as doing so violated Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) rules.

Following the protest, Deputy Commissioner T Bhoobalan, Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi, and other officials visited the examination centre to assess the situation. The district administration rejected the allegations, maintaining that the examination was conducted strictly in accordance with the KEA Standard Operating Procedure.

Officials noted that Sharadamba PU College was one of 61 examination centres in Vijayapura district. While similar complaints surfaced at a few other centres, authorities said most candidates resumed the examination after supervisors clarified the prescribed process.

The recruitment drive is being conducted to fill 3,991 Civil Police Constable posts, with nearly 4.54 lakh candidates appearing at more than 800 centres across Karnataka. To promote transparency, the KEA uploaded candidates' OMR sheets to its website within 30 minutes of the examination.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka accused the state government of administrative failure, demanding a re-examination at the affected centre, an independent inquiry, and accountability for those responsible.