Bhubaneswar: Aspirants for Odisha police sub-inspector (SI) posts on Thursday staged a demonstration in the city, demanding that the govt announce a fresh date for the recruitment examination, which was cancelled twice over alleged paper leaks and irregularities.The recruitment process was first notified in 2024 but candidates said that despite two cancellations, no new examination schedule was announced by the Odisha Police Recruitment Board (OPRB), leaving aspirants in prolonged uncertainty.The matter is currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). However, protesters said the probe should not delay the recruitment process indefinitely. “The CBI investigation will take its own course, but aspirants were preparing for the examination since 2024. The govt should conduct the exam in a transparent manner without further delay,” said Bibhuti Bhushan Mahapatra, one of the protesters.The aspirants also raised concerns over administrative confusion following the govt’s decision to deactivate the OPRB and set up the Odisha Uniform Staff Selection Commission to centralise recruitment for uniformed services. They said there was no clarity on whether OPRB or OUSSC would conduct the SI exam.In addition to a fresh exam date, the protesters demanded a thorough CBI investigation and strict action against senior officials allegedly involved in irregularities.
