Bhubaneswar: BJD President and Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Saturday urged the state government to announce new dates for the Combined Police Service Examination, which was scrapped following a paper leak in 2025.
Patnaik also mocked the ruling BJP administration for taking credit after 336 sub-inspectors (SI) completed their training, pointing out that the recruitment process for this batch was actually launched during the previous BJD government.
Taking to his X handle, Patnaik said, “When will the ‘Combined Police Service Exam,’ which was cancelled in 2025 due to the question paper leak, be held? When will the culprits involved in the sale and leak of question papers receive strict punishment?”
He highlighted that while one batch of sub-inspectors has completed training and received appointments, thousands of other candidates remain stuck in limbo because of the leak.
Patnaik noted that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had attended the convocation ceremony for the 13th batch of SIs on Friday to take the salute.
“However, the real story is that the appointment process for these 336 officers—who completed two years of training and joined the Odisha Police—was initiated during the BJD government,” Patnaik clarified.
Patnaik extended his best wishes to the newly appointed officers and encouraging them to strengthen the judicial system while serving the public.
“The most ironic aspect is that the BJP government is now seeking to take undue credit without doing anything for the SI recruitment of 336 candidates,” Patnaik stated.
Accusing the BJP administration of wasting nearly a year of life for thousands of young job seekers, Patnaik blamed the incompetence of the ‘double-engine’ government for spreading frustration among Odisha’s youth.
The former chief minister further alleged that the current government has thrown the dreams and futures of young aspirants into complete uncertainty.
ଗୋଟିଏ ପଟେ ସବ୍-ଇନ୍ସପେକ୍ଟର୍ ବ୍ୟାଚ୍ ପ୍ରଶିକ୍ଷଣ ଶେଷ କରି ନିଯୁକ୍ତି ପାଉଥିବା ବେଳେ, ଅନ୍ୟ ପଟେ ହଜାର ହଜାର ଆଶାୟୀ ପେପର୍ ଲିକ୍ ଯୋଗୁଁ ଏବେ ବି ଅନିଶ୍ଚିତତାରେ।
ଶୁକ୍ରବାର ବିଜୁ ପଟ୍ଟନାୟକ ରାଜ୍ୟ ପୋଲିସ ଏକାଡେମୀରେ ଅନୁଷ୍ଠିତ ୧୩ତମ ବ୍ୟାଚ୍ ଏସ.ଆଇ ଅଧିକାରୀମାନଙ୍କ ଦୀକ୍ଷାନ୍ତ ସମାରୋହରେ ମାନ୍ୟବର ମୁଖ୍ୟମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ ମୋହନ ଚରଣ…
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) September 5, 2026
He asserted that this continuous delay in holding a fresh exam is undermining youth confidence and destroying public trust in the fairness and transparency of state recruitment.
“The government should immediately organise the exam again and issue a notification,” he said.
The BJD chief added that the people of Odisha are tired of the BJP government’s “empty rhetoric” and are getting ready to give the ruling party a fitting reply.
Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the paper leak scam linked to the 2025 Combined Police Service Exam.
The examination was cancelled three times before Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi officially transferred the probe to the CBI.
