Successful candidates protest Jharkhand exam cancellations outside secretariat

Successful candidates from recruitment examinations cancelled by the Jharkhand administration staged a demonstration outside the state secretariat on Friday, demanding justice and the withdrawal of the cancellation orders.

Key points

• On Wednesday, the Jharkhand High Court stayed notifications cancelling appointments created through the 11th and 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations and those of Food Safety Officers.
• Around 2, 700 successful candidates, including those selected through the JSSC CGL examination, have been protesting against the cancellations.
• "I appeal to the government to withdraw its decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL examination, as it did so without assigning any reason, " remarked another candidate, Chanda Kumari.
• BJP leader Champai Soren blamed the state administration for the situation.
• "If there had been even a shred of seriousness in the government regarding this matter, it would have ordered a CBI probe, " he remarked.

As well as placards, the protesters, including candidates selected through the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination, raised slogans such as "Nyay do ya faansi do" (Offer us justice or hang us) and "Sharm karo, sharm karo" (Have shame), carrying portraits of tribal icon Birsa Munda and JMM founder Shibu Soren.

Ramesh Mandal, a resident of Deoghar who was selected as a welfare officer, remarked he had been protesting since 19 August and would continue the agitation until justice was delivered.

Jharkhand HC stays notifications cancelling appointments of employees hired through two JPSC exams The protesters remarked they had full faith in the judiciary and expressed confidence that the court would stay the government's decision to cancel the examinations.

On Wednesday, the Jharkhand High Court stayed notifications cancelling appointments created through the 11th and 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations and those of Food Safety Officers. The interim order, nevertheless, does not cover all 22 examinations cancelled by the state administration.

On 18 August, the administration cancelled 22 recruitment examinations and ordered probes into 23 others conducted since 2014 by the JPSC, JSSC and outsourced agency TDPL, against the backdrop of a prolonged agitation over alleged irregularities.

Around 2, 700 successful candidates, including those selected through the JSSC CGL examination, have been protesting against the cancellations. They argue that candidates selected on merit should not lose their jobs since of alleged irregularities in the recruitment process.

JSSC-CGL successful candidates move Jharkhand HC against exam cancellation Meanwhile, the CID's Special Investigation Team (SIT) has interrogated 37 suspects in connection with alleged irregularities in the JSSC Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination 2023. BJP leader Champai Soren blamed the state administration for the situation.

"If there had been even a shred of seriousness in the government regarding this matter, it would have ordered a CBI probe, " he remarked. "Jharkhand has been a state for 26 years now, and this so-called 'abua (own)' government has been in power for seven years, but, alas, even today, a transparent recruitment process has not been established here."

Meanwhile, the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch questioned the state government's intent, alleging that neither the Advocate General nor any senior advocate was present in the High Court to contest the stay order.

For now, successful candidates protest Jharkhand exam cancellations outside secretariat remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.