Jharkhand Govt Cancels 45 Job Exams Following Recruitment Controversy

RANCHI: Amid a 26-day student protest over alleged irregularities in recruitment exams, the Jharkhand government has cancelled 22 examinations and ordered a probe into 23 others conducted by JPSC, JSSC and an outsourced agency since 2014.

The cancellation of the JSSC-CGL exam has triggered protests by around 2,000 candidates who had cleared the test and joined various government departments. They have demanded an independent probe instead of cancellation, arguing that action should target those found guilty of malpractice.

The government has also proposed a fast-track court for recruitment-related cases, vigilance cells in JPSC and JSSC, and a reform panel headed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal. Meanwhile, the CID has arrested two more people in the alleged recruitment scam, taking the number of accused in custody to 22.

The move has drawn both support and criticism, with the Congress welcoming the cancellations while Opposition leader Babulal Marandi accused the government of failing to meet students’ demand for a CBI probe.