Police are investigating claims that several hundred civil service examinations sat for last January were tampered with.

The organisation and administration of the written examinations is entirely in the hands of the Examinations Department

Fraud claims were reportedly brought to light by examiners who questioned changes in the pass rate as the results were being issued, Government sources said.

It is not known how many of the 800-odd exam papers graded as part of the January examination session are being investigated. The process of issuing exam results has now been frozen while police investigate the claims.

Successful candidates would still need to pass a formal interview before being promoted within the civil service.

A Public Service Commission spokesman told The Times that the PSC would only have been involved had candidates objected to their grading during this inter-view stage.

The PSC was not involved at any stage of the public sector examination process, they added.

“The organisation and administration of the written examinations is entirely in the hands of the Examinations Department. The Public Service Commission does not oversee examinations, appoint examiners, draft papers or select exam supervisors,” a spokesman said.

Civil servants who had sat for the exams had previously complained about delays in issuing results – delays which sources said were down to concerns about examination irregularities.

A good exam showing would allow a civil servant to rise up the public sector ranks, and many applicants said they had attended specialised preparatory courses prior to sitting for the exam.

Critics had immediately questioned the timing of the exams, which came two weeks into the start of a general election campaign.

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