Ranchi: The Jharkhand government on Wednesday notified the cancellation of 22 recruitment examinations amid allegations of large-scale malpractice, while placing six other tests on hold and directing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe a number of earlier recruitments. The move brought a 26-day student agitation to a halt but prompted fresh protests from candidates who fear losing posts they had already secured.
Scope of cancellations and probe
Official communications late on Wednesday said the cancellations cover a string of Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations held for recruitment of lecturers, forest officers, public prosecutors, child development officers, food safety officers and civil judges. One Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination conducted in 2024 by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) was also cancelled.
The government additionally put six examinations on hold pending further decisions, and ordered the CID to investigate recruitment processes conducted between 2013 and 2021. The probe will examine several high-profile recruitments, including the 5th Combined Civil Services Examination, multiple Civil Judge recruitments, Agriculture Officer recruitments, Food Safety Officer recruitment, the Combined Assistant Engineer examination and the Combined Civil Services Examination-2021.
Students suspend agitation, issue ultimatum
Students who had been protesting at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium for nearly a month announced they were suspending their stir after the government’s notification. The protest leaders said they would give the state a 60-day ultimatum to act on promises made during talks with officials.
“We are now suspending the stir and giving a two-month ultimatum to the government to resolve the issues and conduct a fair probe into recruitment exam irregularities,”
said a leader of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which organised the demonstration. The Manch also staged an ‘Abhar Yatra’ (thanksgiving procession) from the stadium to Albert Ekka Chowk on Wednesday, attended by hundreds of students from across the state.
Impact on successful candidates
Alongside relief among protesters, the cancellations have triggered anxiety among candidates who had already cleared some of the affected examinations and were awaiting appointment. Protest leaders said they sympathise with those aspirants and urged the government to ensure a fair and transparent process so that legitimate selection outcomes are protected where possible.
Government response and cabinet action
The decision followed weeks of sustained protests and a special cabinet meeting convened after talks with student representatives failed to break the deadlock. Officials said the government declined to accede to calls for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe but opted for a CID-led investigation instead.
What the probe covers
The CID has been asked to examine recruitment irregularities spanning nearly a decade. The government’s notification explicitly named several examinations for scrutiny; the probe will, according to the order, look into examination conduct, evaluation and any role played by the state public service commission, the staff selection commission and outsourced agencies.
| Action | Number |
|---|---|
| Examinations cancelled | 22 |
| Examinations placed on hold | 6 |
| Past recruitments ordered for CID probe | Recruitments from 2013–2021 |
Demands and next steps
Student leaders have demanded an impartial and time-bound inquiry, withdrawal of FIRs registered against some protesters during an August 10 march to the Assembly, and reinstatement of a whistleblower who had raised alarm about exam anomalies. They warned that if the government fails to meet commitments within the two-month window, they will relaunch a larger agitation.
- Protest suspension: 26 days, with a 60-day ultimatum to the government.
- Investigations: CID to examine recruitments from 2013–2021, including multiple high-profile exams.
- Administrative action: 22 exams cancelled and six put on hold; departmental follow-up expected.
The state administration has not yet released a timetable for the CID investigation or indicated whether interim steps will be taken to protect candidates who have provisional offers. With several thousand aspirants affected directly or indirectly, stakeholders are watching for the CID’s terms of reference and timelines, and for any departmental orders that could clarify the status of candidates whose appointments may now be in question.
As the probe gets under way, political actors and citizen groups are likely to press for transparency in its conduct and for measures to prevent recurrence of alleged malpractice in future recruitments by state agencies and outsourced examination firms.
