Was Sub Inspector recruitment exam fair in Sikkim? Opposition party questions

Citizen Action Party (CAP) and Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) have raised serious allegations of irregularities in the Sub-Inspector recruitment conducted by the Sikkim Public Service Commission (SPSC), whose results were declared on 26 November 2025. On November 28, members of the SDF led by Chelli Morcha in-charge Komal Chamling visited the SPSC office in Gangtok. However, with the absence of top officials, including the SPSC chairperson and secretary, the visit could not reach any conclusion.

Speaking to the media, Chamling said, “As soon as we heard the allegations related to the SI results, the party immediately issued a press release. Many aspirants reached out to us through different mediums, questioning the objectivity of the process. We felt it was our duty as a responsible opposition party to approach the concerned department.”

Chamling said that an SDF delegation visited the SPSC office, but the chairperson and the secretary were unavailable. “The chairperson was not in the office at a time when such an uproar has taken place in the state, and the secretary was unwilling to meet us,” she stated. The SDF representatives instead met the controller of examinations and submitted their concerns. They raised issues regarding the increased age bar of 34 years, the roster system, and the demand for transparent publication of results.

Chamling said, “We placed a written application demanding clarification on all the allegations, and we have asked for the complete results of every aspirant — including written examination marks, physical test marks, and the interview points of all candidates.” She said the controller of examinations replied that they would need to wait until the chairperson returns on the fifth, as no public statement could be made in his absence.

She added that many aspirants had placed their hopes in this examination after years of preparation, and their concerns should not be ignored. “The main issue is that out of the 39 seats, a disproportionate number of candidates close to the ruling party have been selected. In the past, the Chief Minister has publicly said that those who work for the party for two months will be made Sub-Inspectors. That is a matter of deep concern,” she said.

Similarly, the Citizen Action Party has also claimed that the process was biased in favour of candidates linked to the ruling party, stating that more than 80 per cent of the 39 posts have reportedly gone to individuals affiliated with the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha.

Speaking to the media, CAP spokesperson Albert Gurung said that several aspirants who reached the interview stage have approached the party with complaints about the selection procedure. “On the very day the results were published, we issued a press release in protest,” he said. Gurung alleged that the constitutional role of SPSC had been compromised under political influence, remarking that it has now become “SPSC – Sikkim Krantikari Morcha’s Service Commission.”

Gurung claimed that many of the selected candidates are known ruling party workers, and some had actively participated in campaigning for the SKM during the recent elections. He pointed to the second-ranked candidate, who is already serving as an assistant director in the Skill Development Department and is “very close to the ruling party”, while another candidate ranked third was described as the ruling party’s social media handler. He recalled a campaign speech allegedly made by the Chief Minister before the 2024 elections, saying: “He had said that those who raise the SKM flag and slogan will be made inspectors. And this time, those who raised the party flag have indeed been given the inspector posts.” He further claimed that there are cases where candidates who failed Class 10 and Class 12 examinations have still secured positions in the selected list. According to him, certain candidates have even deactivated their social media accounts after the results were declared.

“This is not the first time such issues have occurred, but this time it has happened openly,” Gurung said, alleging that people close to the Chief Minister and family members have also secured positions. Regarding the conduct of the examination, he said that no unique IDs were provided on the question papers, which is a standard requirement followed by UPSC and other competitive exams. “This clearly indicates malpractice,” he said.

He further alleged that more than 50 per cent of the questions in the preliminary examination had multiple correct answers, suggesting the paper was predetermined. Citing examples from other states, Gurung said that Arunachal Pradesh had published marksheets of all selected candidates during a similar controversy, while in Sikkim, only roll numbers have been released. “We demand that the individual marksheets of all selected candidates must be made public,” he said.

The party has also urged the SPSC chairperson to resign on moral grounds. “He has acted under pressure from the ruling party and favoured their people. He should resign immediately,” Gurung said. He added that academically strong candidates, including those who had passed UPSC prelims, were overlooked, while weaker candidates were selected. “A police officer is meant to be a protector of law. But if police posts are given only to ruling party workers, it is an attack on democracy,” he said. Citizen Action Party has demanded the cancellation of the SI result and a fresh examination.

Both parties have called for transparency and have sought the publication of full marksheets of all aspirants. They said that the matter has caused public unrest and that, if needed, the next course of action may be taken after the results are made available by the SPSC.

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