Indore : Reserved categories candidates came to the city for appearing in preliminary exam conducted by Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) staged demonstrations at some test centres here on Sunday alleging that they were denied travel allowance.
Following the protests, some exam centres paid travel allowance to the candidates but a few denied giving in to the agitation and said that no such funds for payment of TA has been handed over to them.
The MPPSC washed its hands off the issue saying it has little to do with the matter which is strictly between the candidates and the test centres.
MPPSC-2013 preliminary exam was conducted at 101 centres, setup in educational institutions of the city. Nearly 53000 candidates appeared in the exam from centres in the city.
The government pays travel allowance to the outside candidates belonging to SC/ST categories on production of ticket.
The funds are given “in advance” to the test centres for reimbursing travel allowance on the spot.
After the exams on Sunday, when SC/ST categories candidates went to the authorities of test centres seeking reimbursement of travel allowance they were initially returned with an excuse that the rules for reimbursing TA have been amended.
The candidates upon enquiry came to know that no such changes were incorporated, following which protests were witnessed at Khalsa College, Malwa Institute, Malhar Ashram and other centres.
Khalsa college and a few other institutes reportedly cleared the TA claims of the candidates after the protest but some remained reluctant. They said the government had not provided funds to them for reimbursing TA to the candidates and suggested them to approach the government over the matter. MPPSC secretary Manohar Dubey washed his hands from the issue saying the Commission had nothing to do with it.
