New Delhi, Mar 1: Hundreds of aspirants of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC)'s Combined Graduate Level (CGL ) exams took to the streets of national capital on Thursday to protest against the alleged 'paper leak' and 'mass cheating' during the tier II examinations held last month.

The Commission, while rescheduling the mathematics exam held on February 21, denied re-conducting the entire of set of examination conducted between February 17-24. Protesters claim the SSC officials are deliberately turning a blind eye to the alleged scandalous conduct of the exams.

What is the issue all about?

Ahead of the first SSC exam paper held on February 17, a Facebook page SSCTube posted the answer keys of the second test to be conducted on the day. On being brought to notice by some candidates at one venue -- Animate Infotech, Mohan Cooperative Industrial Estate in New Delhi -- the test was postponed at that particular venue.

However, the SSC said the "evidence" later probed by them was found to be malified.

Answer key leaked before exams?

On February 21, when the Mathematics exam was conducted, the same Facebook page posted the answer keys of the paper minutes before it began. Taking cognizance, the SSC postponed the exams by two hours and framed a fresh question paper. However, the Commission later decided to reconduct the Mathematics exam on March 9

Access to exam from 'remote locations'?

On February 23, SSCTube released purported images of candidates appearing for the SSC exam of February 18 from "remote locations" -- which were not the authorised halls.

Candidates claim the examinations were conducted from the non-authorised locations in a bid to perpetrate the mass cheating. The Commission, however, has called the images as malicious.

Commission says two 'coaching institutes' behind protest

SSC officials on Wednesday met the protesting students, asking them to "provide concrete evidence" to substantiate their allegations of mass cheating. The students were asked to submit the evidence by 10:30 am on March 3, failing which the Commission would not entertain their plea.

According to the SSC chairman Ashim Khurana, the protests against the Commission are being "instigated and sponsored by two coaching institutes with vested interests".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 01, 2018 05:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).