Assam’s Director General of Police (DGP) G P Singh has launched an inquiry into allegations of inappropriate physical checks on women candidates during the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE) for Grade III positions. The incident allegedly occurred at Swahid Smriti Senior Secondary School in Nalbari district, sparking widespread public outrage. The controversy came to light after a female candidate shared her distressing experience on social media, describing the examination process as “disgraceful.” According to her post, female personnel at the center conducted intrusive body searches, including checks beneath undergarments, without offering any privacy.
“They put their hands inside our undergarments, which is disgraceful and unacceptable,” she wrote, adding that similar procedures were not reported at other centers. In response to the growing public outcry, DGP Singh ordered a detailed investigation into the incident. He stated on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), “Range DIG has been directed to enquire into the matter. The factual position will be determined swiftly by women officials in Nalbari for appropriate action.”
The candidate, along with others, voiced their mental distress, stating that such invasive searches were unprecedented in previous examinations. She also appealed to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take immediate steps to ensure such incidents are not repeated. In a related incident, the DGP revealed that cheating materials were found concealed within a woman candidate’s undergarments at a different exam center in North Lakhimpur, resulting in an FIR being filed. The recruitment exam, held across 2,305 centers for over 11 lakh candidates, continued smoothly despite these controversies, with over 70,000 invigilators overseeing the process.
