Bihar bare body test: Parrikar seeks report from Army chief

New Delhi, Mar 1: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has sought a report from Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag on hundreds of young men, seeking jobs in the army, writing an exam wearing only underwear in Bihar's Muzaffarpur.

While army officials denied having received any order from the Ministry, top sources said a file has been prepared and has been sent to the army chief.

"A report has been sought on the incident as the matter has come to light through media reports," a source said. Army sources sought to defend the move of making the men write exams in underwear saying the aim was to prevent cheating.

They added that this was a suggestion made by previous job seekers who had cleared the examination. On Sunday, around 1,100 candidates found themselves in a strange situation when they reached the examination centre.

They were made to strip down to their underwear and sit in an open ground for writing the examination. Pictures, apparently taken by officials themselves, leaked and made their way to the social media as well as mainstream media.

This was a written test for candidates who had successfully completed their physical tests. Last year, images of mass cheating involving Class X students in Bihar made international headlines.

Parents, relatives and others were seen climbing the walls of the exam centre to pass scraps of papers to students, unrestricted.

PTI