‘He Ram, Bhakt Prahlad, Space Rani’: Chhattisgarh police exam candidate list spark row; CGPSC says names are genuine

Names such as ‘News’, ‘Space Rani’, ‘He Ram’, ‘Bhakt Prahlad’ and ‘Tufail’ appearing on Chhattisgarh’s latest police recruitment exam result have triggered a political row, with Congress questioning the selection process. The Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC), however, has rejected the allegations and said the names are genuine and exactly match the details submitted by candidates in their applications.

The controversy began after a portion of the qualifying list went viral on social media. But some of the candidates whose names attracted attention have now come forward to explain why their names appear unusual.

The CGPSC has also said that these candidates used the same names during document verification, physical tests and the preliminary examination, and their admit cards carried those names as well.

How the controversy started

The CGPSC held the preliminary examination on July 12 for recruitment to 341 posts of subedar, sub-inspector and platoon commander under the Home Department.

The examination was conducted across all 33 districts of Chhattisgarh. When the commission announced the result on August 4, a total of 7,301 candidates were declared eligible for the mains examination.

The result itself did not initially become a major issue. The controversy started after a clipping of the qualifying list circulated online.

The names ‘News’, ‘Space Rani’, ‘He Ram’, ‘Bhakt Prahlad’ and ‘Tufail’ caught social media users' attention, leading to questions over whether the list contained errors or irregularities. Congress leaders then used the names to attack the government and the recruitment process.

Bhupesh Baghel takes a dig

Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel shared the list of unusual names on X and took a sarcastic swipe at the government. "The Public Relations Department should spend Rs 1 crore daily on advertisements to display this achievement at public intersections so that, in the coming days, 'Radio' and 'Space Raja' might also succeed in some examination."


State Congress communication wing chief Sushil Anand Shukla also accused the BJP government of failing to conduct recruitment examinations properly.

Shukla said the government had promised to conduct PSC examinations on the lines of the Union Public Service Commission, but alleged that it was now "playing with the future of young people".

He also claimed that the names were an indication of alleged "negligence" by the government and CGPSC.

According to Shukla, questions had also been raised over several recruitment and promotion examinations held in Chhattisgarh during the previous two-and-a-half years, including examinations involving forest guards, police constables and RI promotions.

CGPSC rejects allegations

The commission responded to the social media controversy on Thursday, calling the claims "misleading and baseless". It said social media reels and short videos were making fun of the actual names of candidates while also casting doubt on the examination result.

The CGPSC said it "strongly refutes" the claims circulating online. "The names of the candidates displayed in the examination result are the same as those entered by them in their online application forms, which they finally submitted. The candidates appeared for document and physical tests as well as the preliminary examination under these names, and their names were also displayed accordingly on their admit cards," it stated.

The commission also appealed to candidates and members of the public not to believe unverified claims circulating on social media. It said people should rely on information published through its official website.

‘News’ explains why his name appears on list

One of the candidates at the centre of the controversy is News Kumar Pradhan, who cleared the preliminary examination for the sub-inspector post.

News said people were questioning his name without checking his documents. "My name is News Kumar Pradhan. My surname was not added to my Class 10 marksheet. My marksheets of Classes 10 and 12 and Aadhaar card carry the name News, without the surname. People think that the name is incorrect," he said in a video statement, adding that he is a resident of Bhatanpali in Raigarh district.

His explanation was that the name entered in the recruitment application was consistent with the name appearing on his official documents.

Tufail says rumours are hurting candidates

Tufail, 29, from Nayapara town in Raipur district, is another candidate whose name drew attention after the result was released. He told PTI that his name appears in all his documents and questioned why it had become a subject of suspicion.

"After the result was released, rumours are being spread about names such as Spacerani, News and Tufail without any information or facts. These are the names of students who have prepared for the examination for years," he said.

Tufail appealed to people not to spread rumours about candidates whose names appeared unusual.

He also questioned the transparency of the CGPSC and said such claims could damage the morale of candidates from ordinary families.

‘He Ram’ says surname is missing from documents

Another successful candidate, He Ram, also explained why his name appears without a surname.

He Ram said his father's name is Rajnarayan and that he lives in Mungeli district.

"My name is He Ram, and I have qualified the PSC preliminary examination. Some people are raising objections over my name. My surname is Kashyap, but it is not mentioned in any of my documents. Hence, I entered only my name while filling the form," he told PTI.

His explanation matches the CGPSC's position that the names appearing in the result were taken from the candidates' final online applications.

Bhakt Prahlad asks people not to create confusion

Bhakt Prahlad, another candidate who qualified for the next stage, said his name is recorded in the same form across his documents.

He identified his father as Sonram Dhruv and said his name appears as ‘Bhakt Prahlad’ even in his bank passbook.

"My surname is not mentioned. Please do not spread confusion regarding my name," he said.

The explanations from the candidates have added another layer to the controversy. While Congress has used the unusual names to question the recruitment process, the candidates themselves say the names are genuine and are supported by their official records.

The CGPSC has maintained that there was no discrepancy in the names published in the result and has asked people to avoid relying on social media claims.

For now, the unusual names may have made the result go viral, but the commission's position is straightforward: the names were entered by the candidates themselves and were used throughout the recruitment process.

(Source: PTI)