The Jharkhand High Court stayed the state government’s order cancelling key recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC). The interim stay provides immediate relief to petitions challenging the cancellations, specifically concerning the 11th to 13th JPSC examinations and the Food Safety Officer examination. Justice directions allow the affected petitioners associated with both examinations to resume work with immediate effect. Additionally, the state government has been given 15 days to file a counter-affidavit and formal response regarding the matter.
The High Court’s intervention comes following a major decision by the Hemant Soren-led government to cancel 22 recruitment examinations and launch probes into 23 others conducted since 2014 by the JPSC, Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), and an outsourced agency. The government’s actions were prompted by a 26-day agitation organized by the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch over alleged paper leaks and exam irregularities. State officials defended the cancellations as necessary steps to restore public faith in the recruitment system.
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Following talks, the reform protesters temporarily suspended their stir, granting the state government a two-month deadline to conduct a fair investigation. Key hunger strike leaders, including Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha leader Devendra Mahto along with Prem Nayak and Umme Habiba, called off their multi-day fasts. However, the Manch warned that protests would intensify if grievances remained unaddressed after two months.
The mass cancellations triggered fresh opposition from nearly 2,000 successful candidates, particularly those recruited through the JSSC Combined Graduate Level examination. Affected candidates, many already deployed across state departments such as finance, home, and road transport, argued that they earned their roles purely on merit. Demonstrators moved to the Jharkhand High Court to challenge the government’s order and prevent potential job losses, arguing that innocent candidates should not face penalization for external irregularities.
