BJD's Patnaik Hits Out at BJP Over Cancelled Police Exam, Cites ‘Systemic Failure’

New Delhi: Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik (BJD) has strongly criticized the state's BJP government after the Combined Police Recruitment examination 2024 was canceled today, becoming the fourth recruitment test scrapped since July 2025 due to allegations of malpractice or paper leaks.

In a post on X, Patnaik labeled the sequence of failures a "systemic failure of governance" that is eroding public trust and affecting thousands of job seekers.

The former CM pointed to previous instances of disruption this year, including the cancellation of the Special OTET-2025 in July due to a paper leak, the scrapping of the OSSSC's Combined Recruitment Examination, and the further postponement of the rescheduled OTET. Patnaik called on the state government to "fix [the system] immediately" to restore confidence.

In a post on X, the former Chief Minister said, "Shocked to know that one more recruitment exam cancelled in Odisha today. The Combined Police Service Examination 2024, meant to recruit Sub-Inspectors, was cancelled today by the Odisha Police Recruitment Board."

He pointed out that this marks the fourth recruitment examination scrapped since July 2025 amid allegations of "malpractice and question paper leaks".

Citing the examinations scrapped since July this year, Patnaik said that on July 20, 2025, the Special OTET-2025 was cancelled just hours before commencement after a paper leak triggered widespread outrage. Similarly on July 30–31, 2025, the OSSSC cancelled its Combined Recruitment Examination (for RI, ARI, Amin, ICDS Supervisor, SFS) that was scheduled between August 1 and September 4, citing irregularities in the preliminary process.

He also said that August 22, 2025, the rescheduled Special OTET-2025 was postponed again, with Board of Secondary Education citing “unavoidable circumstances,” leaving aspirants frustrated.

"These repeated disruptions highlight a troubling pattern in Odisha’s recruitment system, undermining trust and affecting lakhs of job seekers across the state. All these point towards systemic failure of governance which BJP led Odisha government needs to fix immediately to restore the trust of people," the BJD leader added.

Patnaik has been taking on the BJP government in the state on several issues including law and order situation in the state, crime against women and also on the paper leak issues.