Editor,
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you can’t help but curse your bad luck, where you ask for something and end up with something entirely different? This is exactly what happened when I downloaded my admit card for the APSSB CGL examination released on August 19. I had listed Naharlagun as my first preference for the exam center, followed by Itanagar. However, when I checked my admit card, I was dismayed to find Itanagar as my assigned center. I felt this was particularly unfair because, in my previous APSSB CHSL exam, despite choosing Naharlagun as my first preference, I was assigned NIT Jote as my exam center. Those familiar with the remoteness of NIT Jote can appreciate the difficulty of traveling from Naharlagun to Jote, which is roughly an hour and a half drive. For those unfamiliar, Jote is quite isolated, and not everyone has access to personal transportation, making it a significant inconvenience. Additionally, exams are typically held in the morning, so having a distant exam center can be particularly burdensome.
Why am I bringing this up? According to information from various candidates (friends and acquaintances), many have been assigned exam centers that were their second preference. For instance, if someone listed Itanagar as their first preference, they were assigned Naharlagun, and vice versa. While a few such occurrences might be seen as coincidences or mishaps, seeing more than ten people facing this issue suggests that it’s more than just bad luck.
The purpose of indicating preferences is to ensure candidates’ convenience and reduce concerns about traveling so they can focus on their exams. I know of some candidates who chose not to attend the exams due to the inconvenient locations of their centers. I request the APSSB board, through this esteemed daily, to address this issue in the future. Instead of causing unnecessary difficulties for the youth, they could alleviate transportation concerns and make the process smoother for all candidates.
A concerned candidate