Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A paper setter and a moderator were blacklisted by the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) on Tuesday after a controversial question on whether 'India should decide to hand over Kashmir to Pakistan' was asked in the General Aptitude Test of the state services preliminary examination. The MPSC also withdrew the question from the examination which was held on Sunday.
Officials said that the question paper had a statement 'if India should decide to hand over Kashmir to Pakistan', and the candidates were given arguments to choose from, one of which was 'yes, it will save a lot of money for India' and "no, such a decision will lead to more similar demands'. The candidates were asked to choose which argument was stronger and two other options were given stating 'both are stronger' or 'vice versa'.
Speaking to reporters Madhya Pradesh's Home Minister Narottam Mishra said that the two concerned officials belonging to Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been barred by the MPPSC. "MPPSC has debarred two officials, belonging to Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra respectively, who were involved in the process of setting the paper. The question was objectionable and a letter is being written to MPPSC and Higher Education Department for action against them," said Mishra.
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The Minister also said that other states have been informed of the decision telling them that both these officials were debarred and, hence, their services should not be used. MPPSC Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Ravindra Panchbhai said that they do not agree with the content of the question on Kashmir and it has been withdrawn from the examination.
"We do not agree with the content of the question asked on Kashmir in the paper on General Aptitude Test for State Services Preliminary Examination 2021. That's why we have removed (withdrawn) this question from the exam," he told reporters in Indore.
"The setter and the moderator involved in the process of preparing this paper have been black-listed, which means they are permanently debarred from the examination process of MPPSC. We have written to departments for disciplinary action against them," he added.
However, Panchbhai refused to disclose the names of the two officials citing the confidentiality of the examination. A screenshot of the question paper has gone viral on social media.(with Agency inputs)
