- By Sarju Saran Tiwari
- Mon, 22 Dec 2025 02:45 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Odisha Home Guard Recruitment Exam 2025: A bizarre scene unfolded when thousands of candidates appeared for the Home Guard recruitment exam at an airstrip in Sambalpur district of Odisha. A video of the event has gone viral on social media. With no mats or tables provided, the candidates were forced to use the airstrip itself to write their exams. A drone video of this unusual arrangement is being widely shared online.
“To conduct a smooth recruitment, the police deployed additional force along with drones for aerial monitoring of the venue and to ensure discipline,” a senior official was quoted.
When was the exam conducted?
The exam held on December 16, 2025, was for only 187 Home Guard positions. Despite the limited vacancies, more than 8,000 candidates arrived at the Jamdarapalli airstrip. Although the minimum qualification for the exam was a 5th-grade pass, many candidates possessed 12th-grade or even graduate-level qualifications. Due to the massive crowd, authorities reportedly made the candidates sit on the road.
Viral Exam Video Sparks Political Face-Off:
Videos of this exam have gone viral on social media, and it has also sparked a political controversy. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the state over the issue of employment.
This is not a movie scene. This is BJP-ruled Odisha.
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) December 19, 2025
Where more than 8,000 aspirants, including MBA & MCA graduates, were lining up for just 187 Home Guard vacancies. This is the brutal reality of @BJP4India’s so-called “double engine” governance.
Degrees in hand. Jobs nowhere.… pic.twitter.com/xQYMwylxSe
This unusual arrangement has sparked criticism and debate. Opposition leaders, citing viral videos, have questioned the government's handling of employment opportunities and highlighted the challenges of youth unemployment.
Overqualified Candidates Appeared In Exam:
Some of the candidates who competed for 187 Home Guard posts were qualified with MBA and MCA degrees, PTI news agency reported on December 19. The Home Guards in Odisha receive a daily allowance of Rs 639, the news agency quoted an official as saying.
Keeping in view the large number of candidates, the Sambalpur district police held the written test at the airstrip that is hardly used, PTI reported.
Social media users have also expressed concern over the arrangements, with some commenting that the exam resembled a public gathering more than a formal test.