SSC Exam Vendor: Nationwide protests have erupted as thousands of aspirants for government jobs are demanding a complete ban on Eduquity Career Technologies, the private vendor responsible for conducting the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exams. The call for a ban follows extensive and severe disruptions during the recent Selection Post Phase 13 examinations, which has put the careers of millions of students in jeopardy and raised serious questions about the integrity of India’s public recruitment process.
Widespread Chaos in Phase 13 Exams
The SSC Selection Post Phase 13 exams, held between July 24 and August 1, 2025, were plagued by what students and educators have described as “gross mismanagement” . Candidates traveling from across the country were met with a series of failures, leading to widespread outrage and protests in Delhi and other cities.
Key issues reported by aspirants include:
- Abrupt Cancellations Exams were cancelled at numerous centers without any prior notice, leaving candidates who had traveled hundreds of kilometers stranded . Official notices were sometimes just pasted on the gates of the exam centers.
- Severe Technical Glitches The examinations were marred by frequent system crashes, server failures, non-functional computers and mice, and faulty biometric verification systems that prevented many from taking the test.
- Administrative Lapses Students reported incorrect exam center allocations, with some being assigned locations in different states, and admit cards not being issued until just two days before the exam date.
- Staff Misconduct There were also numerous allegations of harassment and inappropriate behavior by exam invigilators and security personnel, which worsened the already stressful environment for candidates.
A History of Controversy: The Case Against Eduquity
At the heart of the protests is the SSC’s controversial decision to switch its exam vendor from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to Eduquity. Aspirants and coaching industry experts point to Eduquity’s troubling track record, which includes a string of irregularities in various state-level and national examinations.
Major allegations against the company include:
- Links to the Vyapam Scam Eduquity has been linked to the infamous Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh, a massive scandal involving bribery, impersonation, and manipulation of seating arrangements.
- Blacklisting and Ineligibility Reports suggest that Eduquity was previously declared “ineligible” by the Central Directorate General of Training in 2020 and has been allegedly blacklisted in several states, including Assam, Gujarat, and Jammu & Kashmir, due to its poor performance.
- MP Teacher and Patwari Exam Scandals In 2022, the Madhya Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test paper, for which Eduquity held the contract, was leaked online . The following year, the Patwari recruitment exam, also conducted by the firm, was embroiled in cheating allegations that led to arrests and a judicial inquiry.
- Maharashtra MBA CET Failures In 2024, the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MBA CET) conducted by Eduquity was hit by technical collapses, including server crashes and timer malfunctions, leading to students filing a case in the Bombay High Court.
Critics argue that Eduquity was awarded the SSC contract primarily because it submitted a lower bid than its competitors, a decision made with “full public knowledge of what could go wrong” . This has led to accusations that the SSC prioritized cost-cutting over the quality and security of the examination process.
Calls for Accountability and Reform
The escalating crisis has prompted political intervention, with Members of Parliament like Priya Saroj and Chandrashekhar Aazad writing to the SSC Chairman demanding an immediate and thorough investigation.
Students have laid out a clear set of demands:
- An immediate and permanent ban on Eduquity from conducting any future government exams.
- A high-level, independent investigation into the vendor selection process and the recent exam failures.
- The reinstatement of a reliable and experienced vendor like TCS, which has a proven track record of conducting large-scale exams smoothly.
- A re-examination for all candidates affected by the cancellations and technical glitches to ensure a fair opportunity for everyone.
With the major SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) exam, involving nearly 3 million aspirants, scheduled to begin on August 13, 2025, the pressure on the SSC is immense . The ongoing protests have severely eroded trust in the public recruitment system, and the future of millions of students now hinges on whether the government will take decisive action to restore fairness and transparency to the examination process.
