RANCHI, Aug 18: Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) Secretary Sudhir Gupta was questioned by the state Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, a day after the state government announced the cancellation of the JSSC-Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination.
According to an official, Gupta was interrogated for several hours based on evidence collected during a CID raid at the commission’s office on Monday.
The questioning came after Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination and all recruitment tests conducted by outsourced agency TDPL since 2014. The decision was taken after a marathon Cabinet meeting at the state secretariat.
Meanwhile, student leader Devendra Nath Mahto ended his hunger strike in Ranchi following the government’s decision. Jharkhand ministers Dipika Pandey Singh and Irfan Ansari were present when he called off the fast.
The government’s decision, however, triggered a fresh protest by candidates who had cleared the JSSC-CGL examination and were subsequently appointed to government posts.
The candidates gathered at Project Bhawan in Ranchi, demanding that the cancellation decision be withdrawn. They said they would continue their fight through legal and democratic means, arguing that the move had created uncertainty over their careers.
The protesting candidates said alleged irregularities should be investigated and action taken against those found responsible, rather than cancelling the examination for all successful candidates.
One of the protesters appealed to the government to reconsider its decision, saying the candidates had been left uncertain about their future.
Mahto, meanwhile, thanked the state government and Chief Minister Soren for accepting the students’ demands. He said the ongoing investigation was aimed at identifying those allegedly responsible for irregularities in the examination system.
He said the students would continue supporting efforts to eliminate corruption from the recruitment process and cooperate with the government in its reform measures.
Mahto also stressed the need for a system capable of preventing question-paper leaks and other irregularities in future examinations.
The government has said that a committee headed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal will recommend reforms in the conduct of recruitment examinations in the state.
