Assam CM announces negative marking for ADRE Grade III & IV recruitment exam

Guwahati, July 15: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Monday that the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE) for Grades III and IV will include negative marking for wrong answers.

The development comes amidst an unprecedented surge in the number of applicants.

Notably, 11 lakh aspirants have applied for approximately 13,000 vacancies, marking a significant increase compared to the previous year.

"There will be negative marking for wrong answers, making this exam particularly challenging. In a single exam, 11 lakh candidates will appear. Even during the HSLC exam, the highest number of candidates is 5 lakh. Such a record for a recruitment post has only been set by Uttar Pradesh before, and this is the first time Assam will see 11 lakh candidates sitting for an exam," stated Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

CM Sarma attributed the surge in applicants to the elimination of form fill-up charges and the transparency demonstrated in previous exams. "This year, we did not charge any money from the candidates during the form fill-up procedure. Moreover, during the previous examination, people observed transparency as meritorious students and students from underprivileged backgrounds also succeeded. This inspired many to apply this time, leading to an increase in the number of aspirants."

He also acknowledged the logistical challenges of conducting the exam with such a huge number.