Jharkhand HC quashes cancellation of JSSC CGL exam, brings relief to successful candidates

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The Jharkhand High Court on Friday overturned the state government's decision to scrap the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC CGL) examination and cancel the recruitment notification, offering relief to candidates who had cleared the competitive test.

The court set aside both the cancellation of the examination and the state government's decision to withdraw the recruitment advertisement. The ruling comes amid a prolonged dispute over alleged irregularities in state-level competitive examinations and demands from aspirants for accountability in the recruitment process.

The development is significant for candidates whose selection prospects had been thrown into uncertainty after the state government moved to cancel multiple recruitment examinations following protests over alleged malpractice.

The state government had issued a notification on August 18 cancelling 22 recruitment examinations, including the 11th to 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations. The decision followed weeks of demonstrations by candidates who had raised allegations of irregularities in the recruitment process.

The High Court had subsequently intervened in the matter. On August 20, it stayed the government's order cancelling appointments of candidates recruited through the 11th to 13th JPSC examinations.

The court had also been hearing petitions challenging the cancellation of JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations and appointments. During the proceedings, the state government sought additional time to submit its affidavit. Although it had initially been directed to file the response by September 7, it failed to meet the deadline, following which the matter was listed for further hearing on September 18.

The controversy surrounding Jharkhand's recruitment examinations has also drawn the attention of investigative agencies.

The Jharkhand Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested two accused in separate cases linked to alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, officials said.

In one case involving alleged malpractice in the 14th JPSC preliminary examination, the CID arrested Sanjeet Kumar from Ranchi's Ratu Road area.

Kumar, who allegedly operated Shivangan Coaching Centre, is accused of working as an intermediary and collecting money from candidates on the promise of helping them clear the examination, according to officials.

The arrests came against the backdrop of persistent allegations of manipulation and irregularities in recruitment examinations, with candidates demanding transparent investigations and fair selection procedures.

The controversy has also reached the Supreme Court, which last month issued notices to the Centre, the Jharkhand government and other respondents on a public interest litigation seeking an independent investigation into alleged irregularities in the JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana sought responses to the petition filed by social worker Harisharan Devgan.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra told the bench that candidates had been protesting continuously over alleged irregularities in the examination.

The petition seeks a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or independent probe into the allegations. It has also urged the court to direct the authorities to conduct the preliminary examination afresh, subject to safeguards approved by the Supreme Court.

The latest High Court ruling is expected to provide clarity on the future of the JSSC CGL recruitment process, although further steps by the state government and the commission will determine how the selection process proceeds.