MUMBAI, Oct. 8 -- What do slash-and-burn farming, National Technology Day and the UN's International Year of Cooperatives have in common? They all featured in a recruitment exam that left aspiring BEST bus conductors flummoxed on September 28. BEST sources say most of the 13,000-odd candidates had not cleared the test, which is not surprising considering the "UPSC-level" questions they faced. While the BEST administration did not reveal exactly how many candidates had failed, sources said a majority of candidates, vying for 364 posts, had flunked. The exam was supposed to cover general knowledge, arithmetic, current affairs, and knowledge of Marathi and English. Instead, the private agency contracted to conduct the exam, had included subjects that were out of syllabus, candidates allege. "One candidate said the questions were comparable to those asked in competitive exams," said Sunil Ganacharya, BEST Committee member. "Instead, the exam should cover subjects such as the BEST's history, geography and various initiatives of the undertaking." BEST Committee members raised the matter with the undertaking on Wednesday. Committee chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao said the authorities should ask questions relevant to the post of a bus conductor. The undertaking, however, said the exam had been conducted "as per the prescribed rules"....