The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) cancelled both shifts of the SSC GD Constable examination at a centre in Kanpur on Monday after severe overcrowding and administrative confusion led to chaos among candidates. The disruption was linked to the allotment of nearly twice the number of examinees as the venue’s approved seating capacity.
The incident took place at the Shrimati Ramkali Iqbal Bahadur Online Centre in Purvameer, under the Maharajpur area of Kanpur. Officials said the centre was approved for 399 candidates per shift, but admit cards were reportedly issued to around 819 candidates for each shift. This mismatch caused crowding outside the centre and created problems inside the examination hall as well.
The exam was scheduled in two shifts, from 2 PM to 3 PM and from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM. According to reports, nearly 350 candidates had already been seated when authorities discovered the discrepancy between the number of candidates assigned and the available seats. By then, the situation had become difficult to manage.
As the confusion grew, candidates began protesting over the poor arrangements and mismanagement at the centre. The examination centre management informed SSC authorities, and after consultations with the administration, both shifts were cancelled to avoid further disorder and inconvenience to the candidates.
The sudden cancellation angered many aspirants, several of whom had travelled long distances from other districts to appear for the recruitment exam. Candidates gathered outside the centre and demanded clarification along with a fresh date for the test. The situation became more tense when students scheduled for the second shift also started arriving, adding to the crowd.
Police and district administration officials were called in to control the situation and ensure that the gathering remained peaceful. Authorities said the incident was brought under control without any major escalation, although the cancellation caused distress among examinees.
Officials later informed candidates that revised examination dates would be announced separately through email and updates on the official SSC website. Authorities also acknowledged the concerns raised by candidates over travel costs, wasted time and the inconvenience caused by the abrupt cancellation.
The incident has highlighted issues in exam planning and candidate allocation, especially when seating capacity does not match the number of admit cards issued. For many aspirants, the cancellation meant another delay in a recruitment process already marked by competitive pressure and travel hardship.
