Indore (Madhya Pradesh): As many as 39 per cent of registered candidates skipped food safety officer (FSO) exam-2025 conducted by Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission on Sunday, with overall attendance recorded at just 59 per cent across the state.
The exam for recruitment to 67 food safety officer posts was conducted in four cities viz Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur and Gwalior -- where 111 exam centres were set up. Of the 42,592 candidates who had registered for the exam, only 25,130 appeared.
Indore recorded comparatively better attendance, with nearly 65 per cent of candidates taking the test. A total of 11,096 candidates appeared at exam centres in the city.
Candidates said the General Studies section was relatively easy, while the subject-specific paper proved challenging. Nearly 30 per cent of the questions were from food safety management, food laws and regulations and science and technology. Subject experts said the difficulty level of these questions is likely to reduce overall scores.
The exam was held from 12 noon to 3 pm. Entry to the centres began at 11.15 am and was closed after 11.45 am. Several candidates were denied entry after being found carrying mobile phones and smart watches during security checks. Female candidates handed over valuables to their guardians before entering the centres.
Strict biometric verification was conducted at all centres. Candidates e-admit cards were matched with photo identity proofs, including Aadhaar cards, PAN cards and driving licences. Minor issues arose at some centres due to mismatches in photographs.
The written exam carried 400 marks and was divided into two sections -- General Studies and subject-based questions. The General Studies section included 50 questions related to Madhya Pradesh, while the second section consisted of subject-specific questions. Each correct answer carries two marks, while one mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. Candidates must score more than 40 per cent marks to qualify.
MPPSC official Ravindra Panchbhai said no cases of unfair means were reported at any centre. He added that the provisional answer key will be released by next week, and candidates will be given five to six days to submit objections.
