Amid a 25-day student agitation over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, the Jharkhand government has cancelled 44 tests conducted by the state Public Service Commission (JPSC) and an outsourced agency since 2014.
The JMM-led government has also cancelled the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination, prompting protests by candidates who had cleared the test and secured government appointments.
The decision was announced after a Cabinet meeting on Monday and followed by eight notifications issued late Tuesday night. It covers recruitment examinations for several key administrative, technical and judicial posts.
The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which has been leading the students' agitation at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, said it would decide its next course of action after examining the government's decisions.
Spokesperson Piyush Kumar Singh said the group was awaiting clarity on the scope and implementation of the measures.
JLKM leader Devendra Mahto, who ended a 16-day hunger strike following the government's announcement, said he would soon launch the second phase of the agitation.
He has demanded guarantees that future JPSC and JSSC examinations will be free of paper leaks and other irregularities. He has also sought a monitoring committee and a comprehensive audit of the recruitment process.
The cancelled examinations include those for the recruitment of drug inspectors, assistant professors in government engineering and medical colleges, lecturers in government polytechnics, senior scientific officers, assistant conservators of forests and forest range officers.
Examinations for civil judges (junior division), assistant public prosecutors, deputy collectors, assistant engineers and dentists have also been cancelled.
The list also includes various editions of the Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Examination, along with recruitment tests for food safety officers, child development project officers, food analysts, deputy director (prosecution), project managers, inspectors of factories and boilers, agriculture officers, geologists, chemists and other administrative and technical posts.
The government said the cancellations were necessary to restore confidence in the recruitment system amid allegations of malpractice and irregularities.
The decision, however, triggered protests by around 2,000 candidates who had been appointed to various state government departments after clearing the JSSC-CGL examination. They marched from the state Secretariat to Birsa Chowk in Ranchi on Tuesday, a day after Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation.
The appointed candidates said they were not opposed to an investigation but objected to the cancellation of the entire examination. They argued that action should instead be taken against those found guilty, rather than candidates who secured appointments through the selection process.
“Tell us our crime. Don't throw us out,” Assistant Section Officer Kaushal Kumar said, demanding a CBI probe or an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities instead of cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination.
The protesters said several of them had already joined departments including finance, home, road transport, labour, and information and public relations.
Some also said they had resigned from other government and public-sector jobs after securing their appointments in Jharkhand.
Alongside the cancellations, the government said it would request the high court to constitute a fast-track court to hear cases related to alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC examinations. Internal vigilance cells have also been proposed in both commissions.
A committee headed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal has been constituted to recommend reforms in JPSC and JSSC examinations. The panel has been asked to submit its report within two months.
It will examine the recruitment process and suggest measures to prevent paper leaks, manipulation and other forms of malpractice.
The investigation into the alleged recruitment irregularities has also intensified.
The Jharkhand CID arrested Sushma Kumari, wife of key accused Abhay Tiwari, and his brother Akshay Tiwari after questioning them for several hours.
Tiwari, a former TDPL employee who was posted as a block supply officer in Godda district's Poriyahat, was arrested by the CID on July 22.
Officials said the investigation found that Tiwari had qualified in around 12 competitive examinations over 13 years, including tests conducted by the police, the Navy, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, the CRPF and Northern Coalfields. Investigators are examining his application forms, documents, evaluation records and selection details.
Officials also claimed that Tiwari told investigators that different “rate charts” were allegedly used for candidates seeking to qualify in competitive examinations, with payments ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 70 lakh. These allegations are part of the ongoing investigation and have not been established in court.
The CID also questioned JSSC Secretary Sudhir Gupta for several hours following evidence recovered during a raid at the commission's office.
With the latest arrests, the number of people accused in connection with the case has risen to 22.
A Congress delegation of ministers and legislators met Soren and welcomed the cancellations, saying the move would protect students seeking fair recruitment.
Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi, however, accused the JMM-led government of “cheating” protesting students by cancelling the examinations without accepting their demand for a CBI probe.