Students taking the civil services examination conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) were in for a shock when they found that the last year’s question paper of Labour and Social Welfare (LSW) subject was repeated this year. The paper carried 100 marks.

A group of students who took the examination across the state on Sunday produced the question papers of 2007 and 2008. Both these are the same except the year figuring in them.

“It’s a big shame as there is no instance in the history of public service commissions in the country that the entire question paper of the previous year was repeated in the current year as has happened in this state, thanks to the JPSC,” states a memorandum signed by two examinees, Dinkar Bashith and Ashok Singh.

The memorandum faxed to JPSC chairman Dilip Prasad on Monday sought an inquiry into it. Prasad admitted that the questions of the last year were repeated this year. But he did not say anything when asked if the JPSC was contemplating action against any official for the lapse.

The JPSC has cancelled the exam of LSW. “The exam of LSW will be held afresh soon,” said JPSC member Shanti Devi.