Imphal: The Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) came under sharp criticism after a major administrative lapse disrupted the Manipur Civil Services Combined Competitive (Mains) Examination 2022 on Sunday, forcing the cancellation of two key papers.
Chaos erupted at examination centres in Imphal and Guwahati when candidates sitting for the forenoon session were mistakenly given the General Studies Paper IV instead of Paper III.
The confusion was discovered only after the exam began, leading to frustration and anger among aspirants who had spent months, even years, preparing for the test.
The Commission later announced that both General Studies papers—III and IV—had been cancelled, promising to issue revised dates soon.
Aspirants expressed deep resentment over what they described as “yet another instance of MPSC’s recurring inefficiency.”
Some pointed out that the Commission’s repeated mismanagement had cost them valuable time, effort, and money.
Adding to the backlash, the Thadou Students’ Association (TSA) issued a strong statement condemning what it termed a “gross act of negligence.”
The group said the incident had caused “immense distress” to thousands of aspirants and called for immediate accountability.
It demanded a public apology from MPSC, a high-level inquiry to identify and penalise those responsible, and early re-examinations to ensure fairness to all affected candidates.
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The TSA also urged the government to introduce strict preventive mechanisms to prevent future blunders and suggested allowing Guwahati-centre candidates—particularly those from the Thadou community—to shift their remaining papers to Imphal to reduce logistical challenges.
This is not the first time the MPSC has faced scrutiny. The Commission’s credibility had earlier been dented after the 2016 civil services examination was annulled by the Manipur High Court over procedural irregularities.
The latest fiasco, candidates say, has once again shaken public trust in the state’s premier recruitment body.
