SSC CGL 2025: Dhanbad server manager arrested in cheating case, candidates told to move mouse for answers

The SSC CGL 2025 has escalated into controversy after Dhanbad police arrested the server manager of the Barwadda exam centre, accused of tampering with the system to enable cheating. The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) had also detected remote access attempts earlier.

According to local Hindi reports, Dhanbad police arrested the server manager, who allegedly facilitated cheating through unauthorised server access. However, the arrest has stoked suspicion and raised more questions.

“Without the approval of the regional office, no center change can happen at all,” an X user posted.

“This directly means that the tampering didn't just occur at the local level, but there must have been collusion up to the Eastern Region's regional office. Otherwise, a mere server manager or center director wouldn't have the authority to change the center on their own whim or tamper with the system,” the post read.

SSC CGL 'scam' busted

According to the reports from Prabhat Khabar and Dainik Jagran, a candidate caught cheating in the exam was seen just moving the mouse, while the system auto-selected the answers. He also admitted receiving instructions via WhatsApp. Police said that a larger gang is behind this.

Several candidates are now demanding that the probe should extend to regional offices and even the vendor hired by the commission – which have already been under fire.

SSC has also admitted that there were attempts to access the server remotely.

“Some cases of remote access attempts have also been detected and a detailed analysis of such reports is underway. In respect of candidates for whom there is suspicion of malpractice and the evidence of malpractice is clear, they will be debarred & not given further opportunity.”

The SSC circular dated September 26 did not mention the Dhanbad incident specifically, instead it said that the re-exam will be conducted on October 14.

SSC vendors face criticism

SSC new vendors have been criticized ever since the Stenographer exam, which was cancelled and conducted again after several irregularities. Candidates have been questioning the quality of exam, last-minute exam centre change, and now allegations of paper leak.

Kapil Dev, a X user wrote: “Ever since the new SSC vendor arrived, it has brought so many flaws that even the flaws themselves would feel embarrassed. Neither are the exams being conducted properly, nor are the questions being prepared correctly, and now, to hide their mistakes, they’ve even refused to publish the answer key. #ssc_chairman_jwab_do #cji_help_us”

Candidates have called for a X campaign demanding transparency in the recruitment exam and the publication of shift-wise audit overlap.

SSC exam centre change

Notably, a candidate on September 11 took to X when his exam centre was changed from Dhanbad to Bokaro. “My SSC CGL exam center was in Kolkata. I came here from Mathura - then suddenly, it switched to Bokaro?! No mention of Dhanbad either (never chose it). What’s going on with SSC CGL? Is this how we treat India’s youth and their future?”

The commission, on the other hand, claimed earlier that 93% of candidates have been allotted an exam centre according to their first, second, and third preferences.

“The Dhanbad incident proves how deep-rooted the exam mafia is. A person working as a SERVER MANAGER with the vendor was involved in manipulation. If SSC cannot guarantee fairness at the server level, how can we trust the results?” another posted on X.

Out of the 28 lakh registered for the exam, around 13.5 lakh appeared, the SSC said.