The Sikkim Public Service Commission (SPSC) has come out with wrong answers to some of the questions in a recruitment exam conducted recently.

Two such questions are: 1: Bacteria was first discovered by a) Robert Koch, b) A. V. Leeuwenhoek, c) M. D. Zinder and d) Elie Metchnikoff

2: How many feet does an object travelling at 6 feet per second travel in one hour? a) 30, b) 300, c) 18000, d) 720

The answer to the first question is A. V. Leeuwenhoek and 21,600 feet is the correct answer to the second.

However, if you were to believe the SPSC, the correct answer to the first question is Robert Koch and the answer to the second is not 21,600 feet.

Such howlers in the examination for recruitment to the posts of under-secretaries, deputy superintendents of police and accounts officers were brought to light by the leaders of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF)’s students wing Rikzing Norbu Bhutia and Bandana Sharma at a press meet here on Friday.

“There are more than 10 such glaring mistakes in the question papers set by the SPSC for the recruitment examination which was held on January 16.... We demand that the examination be re-conducted by strictly following all laid down rules,” said Bhutia.

Bhutia said it was apparent the questions were prepared in a hurry. “What can be more shameful than this for the SPSC!” he said, adding the SDF would soon write to the SPSC pointing out the mistakes and it was also not averse to approaching the court if its demand was not met.

Howlers apart, the SDF spokespersons alleged that all rules regarding the conduct of the test were flouted by the SPSC at some examination centres.

Over 8,000 candidates had appeared in the examination for 30 posts of accounts officers, 18 under-secretaries and 14 DSPs.

SPSC officials were not available for comment, but a source said the commission would come out with a press briefing in the next couple of days.