2,000 JSSC-CGL appointees march against exam cancellation in Jharkhand

Successful JSSC-CGL candidates, appointed in various Jharkhand government departments and facing the risk of losing their jobs after the administration announced scrapping the recruitment exam, took out a protest march from the state secretariat to Birsa Chowk here on Tuesday.

Over 2,000 candidates who cleared the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level examination fear losing their jobs after the state government on Monday night announced cancelling the JSSC-CGL exam.

The government decision came amid ongoing agitation by students protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams in Jharkhand.

Pusha Lata Choubey, who was appointed as Assistant Section Officer, said, “We demand that the government recall the decision to cancel CGL. We were appointed after the court’s intervention, and we will seek recourse to court.”

Another protester alleged that it was a unilateral decision taken under pressure from agitating students.

Shweta Ekka, another successful candidate who was working as an Assistant Section Officer (ASO), said, “All 2,000 candidates who were appointed did not get their positions through improper means. This is a matter of investigation."

"However, the sudden decision to cancel the entire recruitment process is wrong. We urge the state government to withdraw its decision to cancel the exam and instead investigate,” Ekka said.

Ram Swarth Sahu, another protester, said their agitation will continue till the government withdraws its decision to cancel exams.

Sahu said that just one day before, he had been working as the Assistant Section Officer and now the government has suddenly decided to scrap his appointment.

“This is injustice, and will not be tolerated,” he said.

The protesters showed mobile flashlights during the procession as a mark of protest.