Ranchi, Aug 21: The Jharkhand High Court has granted interim relief to candidates affected by the state government’s decision to cancel several recruitment examinations, staying cancellation orders related to the JPSC 11th to 13th Civil Services examinations and Food Safety Officer recruitment.
The court’s intervention follows the state government’s August 18 decision to cancel 22 recruitment examinations amid allegations of irregularities in the conduct of examinations and the involvement of outsourced agencies.
The High Court has sought responses from the Jharkhand government and the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and fixed September 15 for the next hearing.The court’s interim order does not cover all 22 examinations cancelled by the state government.
The government had taken the decision after weeks of protests by JPSC and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) aspirants, who had demanded a transparent investigation into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.The controversy particularly involved the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination and examinations conducted with the assistance of outsourced agency TSR Data Processing Pvt Ltd (TDPL).
Along with cancelling 22 examinations, the government announced that six other examinations would remain on hold pending verification of agencies involved. It also ordered a CID probe into 17 older examinations and announced measures aimed at strengthening monitoring and reforms within the JPSC and JSSC.
The cancellation decision, however, led to another round of protests by candidates who had successfully cleared the affected examinations.Several successful candidates argued that they should not be penalised for alleged irregularities committed by examination authorities or agencies.
Some candidates had already received appointments and joined government departments.Around 2,700 successful candidates, including those selected through the JSSC CGL examination, have reportedly been protesting against the cancellation orders.Candidates staged demonstrations outside the state secretariat in Ranchi, demanding that the government withdraw the cancellation decisions.
They carried portraits of tribal leader Birsa Munda and JMM founder Shibu Soren and raised slogans seeking justice.The High Court’s intervention has provided temporary relief to candidates covered by its order.
The court has also emphasised that appointments cannot be cancelled without following due process and principles of natural justice.Meanwhile, the investigation into alleged examination irregularities is continuing.
The CID’s Special Investigation Team has questioned several suspects in connection with alleged irregularities in the JSSC Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination 2023.The dispute has now developed into two parallel proceedings — an investigation into alleged malpractice in recruitment examinations and a legal challenge concerning the government’s decision to cancel examinations and appointments.
The High Court’s final decision will determine the future course of the affected examinations and appointments, while investigations into alleged irregularities are expected to continue.
