Exam fiasco exposes rot in Turkish bureaucracy
The scandal surrounding a civil service exam has painted a grim picture of Turkey's bureaucratic corruption.
The recent cancellation of a standardized exam betrayed the extent of institutional failure and tampering in Turkey directly affecting the lives of more than a million people.
The news broke after allegations that questions of the Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS) were leaked before it was conducted on July 31. The scandal resulted by dismissal of several officials and cancellation of the test. Turkey’s Center for Assessment, Selection and Placement (OSYM) denied the fraud claims circulating on social media. The growing public outrage prompted Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to weigh in, announcing an investigation into the allegations on Aug 2.
In an unusual move, Erdogan acknowledged the possibility of fraud. "We will never allow even a single child of ours to be wronged," he tweeted.
A day later the director of the OSYM was dismissed. More than a million examinees are now preparing for the new KPSS exam set for Sept. 17.
