Widespread protests broke out across India on Thursday as thousands of aspirants and teachers demanded answers over alleged mismanagement in the ongoing SSC Selection Post Phase 13 recruitment exam. Responding to a "Delhi Chalo" call, many gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, urging the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and authorities to take responsibility for the issues in the examination process.

Protesters complained of several problems in the exam, which started on July 24 and will continue till August 1. These included sudden cancellations, server crashes, non-working systems, and exam centres being assigned far from candidates' hometowns, in some cases, as far as 500 km away.

“Aspirants are being sent to far-flung centres, only to discover that the exam is cancelled. At some venues, cattle heads were kept on the ground floor while students were giving exams upstairs. Bouncers have been deployed to silence students who raise concerns. The mouse doesn't work, and systems hang. This is what we're facing,” a teacher at the protest told PTI Videos.

One of the protesting teachers claimed that in a meeting with SSC officials, the Commission admitted to receiving more than 55,000 complaints from students.

"If there are 3 lakh students and 55,000 have registered issues, that alone speaks volumes. SSC-CGL, with 30 lakh aspirants, is scheduled to start from August 13. How will SSC manage that with these broken systems?" he added.

Many students also raised concerns about the locations of exam centres. Some said the centres were not only far away but also located in areas that felt unsafe.

"The government awarded the tender to a blacklisted company. How can a company with such a background be trusted with exams that determine our future?" a student questioned.

Another aspirant added, "Even if we manage to reach the centre after spending thousands, we are told the exam is cancelled. There's no clarity on rescheduling. Our time, money, and most importantly, crucial years of preparation are being wasted. Who is answerable for that?"

Protesters also raised concerns over the presence of bouncers at some examination venues.

"What is the utility of bouncers at an exam centre? We are not criminals. We're demanding a better system, not creating a riot," said one of the candidates.

The protest gained traction online as hashtags like #SSC_System_Sudharo, #SSCMisManagement, and #SSCVendorFailure started trending on X (formerly Twitter). Users across India voiced support for the students, calling for urgent action from SSC and the Ministry of Personnel.

The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) also joined the protest and alleged that police used force to disperse students at Jantar Mantar.

NSUI president Varun Choudhary, who was present at the protest site, said, “This is not just about exam mismanagement, it is about the government trying to silence the youth who are asking for justice.”

NSUI also submitted a letter to the SSC demanding a high-level investigation, accountability of the exam vendor, and improvements in the recruitment process. The student group warned that it would continue to protest nationwide if the government fails to respond.

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