Inside The SSC Protest Scandal: How A Private Telegram Channel Sparked Public Outrage

By Prashant for PuneriPages.in

Let me take you straight into the heart of a scandal that’s shaking up lakhs of students across Maharashtra. This isn’t just about an exam anymore—it’s about trust, transparency, and the future of government recruitment. I dug deep into Telegram channels, talked to aspirants, and pieced together what really went down. Here’s what I found.

The Spark: What Triggered the Protest

It all started with one forwarded message. A screenshot from a private Telegram channel claiming to be affiliated with a coaching class showed the SSC MTS 2023 exam paper — well before the actual exam took place. The moment this hit public groups, things exploded. Students began questioning: Was the exam paper really leaked in advance? And if so, who’s behind it?

Evidence That Turned the Heat Up

Here’s where things get spicy. In one of the screenshots, the sender shared the full SSC MTS 2023 Tier 1 paper a day early. Many questions matched exactly with what appeared in the exam hall. Some users even showed timestamps of when it was uploaded. That’s when the screenshots went viral — not just in groups, but across Instagram stories and X (formerly Twitter). Students everywhere started demanding answers.

The Role of Coaching Classes & Paid Channels

As I dug deeper, I found a pattern. Many Telegram channels posing as doubt-solving groups were actually run by coaching centers. These channels pushed aspirants into paid groups by promising exclusive material — and in some cases, leaked papers. This isn’t just unethical; it’s possibly criminal. Students were being lured with the idea of shortcuts to success.

SSC’s Response: Too Little, Too Late?

The Staff Selection Commission has been silent — painfully silent. As of now, there’s been no official statement addressing the leak. No inquiry, no cancellation of the exam, nothing. For students who spent months preparing, this silence feels like betrayal. Many have taken to the streets demanding re-exams and investigations.

Why This Matters (More Than You Think)

This isn’t just about one exam or one paper. It’s about a system that’s letting cracks go unnoticed. If papers can be leaked this easily, what’s the point of merit? Thousands of genuine candidates might lose out simply because someone else paid to win. That’s terrifying — and it should alarm all of us.

Conclusion: We Deserve Better

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably as frustrated as I am. I wrote this not as a journalist or a blogger, but as someone who believes students deserve better. Exams should be tough — but fair. The silence from SSC is not just disappointing; it’s dangerous. Let’s not stay quiet. Let’s demand accountability.

I’ll keep following this story. If you’ve seen anything suspicious or have your own screenshots to share, message me via PuneriPages.in. Because the truth deserves to come out.