The Jharkhand government has cancelled 22 recruitment examinations, including the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) test, bringing a 26-day student agitation over alleged irregularities to a close. The decision, however, has triggered fresh protests by candidates who had already cleared some of the now-scrapped exams and secured government jobs.
Notifications issued late Tuesday night by the Department of Personnel, Administrative Reforms and Rajbhasha followed a special Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The cancelled examinations cover posts ranging from lecturers, forest officers, public prosecutors and civil judges to food safety officers and child development project officers. Nineteen of the 22 tests were conducted through the outsourced agency TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL). Six other examinations have been postponed, while the Criminal Investigation Department has been ordered to probe 17 earlier examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and JSSC since around 2014.
The agitation began on July 25 at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. Students accused the JPSC, JSSC and TDPL of large-scale malpractice, including paper leaks and irregularities in the conduct of multiple recruitment tests. Sustained sit-ins, marches and hunger strikes by several aspirants forced repeated rounds of talks with the government.
Student leader Devendra Nath Mahato, who had been on an indefinite hunger strike for 16 days, ended his fast after the government’s announcement. “We are grateful that the students’ concerns were taken seriously and our demands were fulfilled. Most importantly, the investigation is being conducted meticulously, those involved in corruption are being apprehended, and efforts are underway to reach the masterminds behind these gangs,” Mahato said. He described the cancellation of the examinations as a “historic win” for aspirants but made clear that the fight was not over. Mahato has demanded a leak-proof examination system, a monitoring committee and systemic reforms, stating that he has prepared a blueprint he intends to share with the government. “A CBI or CID inquiry cannot give justice to the students. We are demanding a guarantee of a leak-proof examination system and transparency in the future,” he added.
Leaders of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch announced a suspension of the stir, issuing a two-month ultimatum. “We are suspending the stir, giving a two-month ultimatum to the government to resolve the issues and conduct a fair probe into recruitment exam irregularities,” one leader said. Three protesters who had been on a 15-day fast also ended their hunger strike. Spokespersons for the groups said the main demands had largely been met but warned that the agitation would resume if concrete reforms and a fair investigation did not materialise within the deadline.
The government’s move has unsettled those who had already been appointed through the cancelled examinations, particularly the JSSC-CGL. Around 2,000 successful candidates gathered outside the state Secretariat and Project Bhawan, expressing fear of losing their jobs. “Tell us our crime. Don’t throw us out. We were appointed after a court order,” said Kaushal Kumar, an assistant section officer. Another candidate, Chanda Kumari, argued that democracy requires protecting the innocent: “Democracy means that 100 guilty may be spared, but no innocent should be punished.” Many maintained they were not opposed to a thorough probe but objected to the blanket cancellation, insisting that only those found guilty should face action. Some have already approached the Jharkhand High Court.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren defended the decision, stating that all examinations conducted by TDPL, the results published by it, and the related recruitment processes stood cancelled. He said the Cabinet had also decided to cancel the JSSC-CGL examination. Government officials maintained that the cancellations were necessary to restore public confidence in the recruitment system amid findings of irregularities that had emerged during ongoing CID and special investigation team inquiries. The government has indicated plans for examination reforms, including a committee headed by a senior IAS officer, and has spoken of seeking a fast-track court for related cases.
