As Jharkhand students' protest nears end, nearly 2,000 candidates fear job loss

The Jharkhand government's decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL (Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission - Combined Graduate Level) exam and other recruitment tests is set to end a month-long students' protest, but it has triggered concerns among nearly 2,000 successful candidates who fear losing their government jobs.The candidates, who cleared the exams and were subsequently appointed, gathered outside the Jharkhand Secretariat on Tuesday, demanding that the government distinguish between those accused of irregularities and candidates who secured their jobs through legitimate means. "Tell us our crime. Don't throw us out," one successful candidate said.The government cancelled the 14th JPSC examination for 103 posts, Civil Services backlog examinations for seven posts in 2023 and 45 posts in 2025, the Forest Range Officer examination for 170 posts, and recruitment tests for 78 Assistant Conservator of Forest posts, 134 regular Assistant Public Prosecutor posts, 26 backlog APP posts and 38 Civil Judge (Junior Division) posts. The move has left around 1,975 people appointed through the JSSC-CGL recruitment facing uncertainty over their jobs.CANDIDATES' GRIEVANCESThe successful candidates said they were not opposed to an investigation into alleged irregularities but argued that those found guilty should be punished individually instead of cancelling the entire examination. Kaushal Kumar, an assistant section officer, said, "We were appointed after a court order. We have come with all the documents. Don't cancel it. Probe it. Do a CBI probe or whatever investigation you deem fit, but please don't do injustice to us."Another appointee, Chanda Kumari, said candidates had not been given a fair opportunity to defend themselves. "Democracy means that 100 guilty may be spared, but no innocent should be punished," she said. Kumari, who said she came from a poor background, said she had qualified for the 14th JPSC examination and Forest Range Officer mains through hard work. "We could not have bought all these jobs," she said.The candidates also cited earlier judicial proceedings, saying the recruitment process had faced scrutiny and that the Jharkhand High Court had rejected a demand for a CBI probe in December, holding that the existing SIT investigation was adequate.SK Singh, another candidate, said the core allegations had not been established against all successful candidates. "You cannot throw us out without any rhyme or reason," he said.Some candidates said they had already left other jobs after being appointed in Jharkhand. Kumar claimed more than 500 successful candidates had resigned from Central government jobs after securing the state posts."One resigned from a Level-6 central position, a job in the India Meteorological Department, to join a job here. Where would we go?" he said.JHARKHAND GOVT CANCELS RECRUITMENT EXAMSChief Minister Hemant Soren, after a marathon meeting with his Cabinet colleagues on Monday night, announced the cancellation of all examinations conducted by TSR Data Processing Pvt Ltd (TDPL) since 2014. The JSSC-CGL exam, the main demand of students protesting alleged irregularities for 25 days, was among the cancelled examinations.Following this, students protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations may take a call to withdraw the demonstration later on Tuesday.The government defended the cancellations as necessary to restore confidence in the recruitment system. Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar said the affected candidates could seek legal recourse, while JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey said the party was "sympathetic to them".Pandey said the government was not running a "dictatorial government" and that fresh vacancies would provide opportunities to deserving candidates. The government has also set up an exam reforms committee headed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal to recommend measures to strengthen recruitment examinations.The cancellation decision came as students were already preparing to call off their agitation later today. The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch has been protesting since July 25, while six students had been on hunger strike.Student activist Devendra Nath Mahto, who had completed 16 days of hunger strike, ended his fast around midnight on Monday. Two students – Prem Nayak and Umme Habiba – also ended their fast, while Rahul Kranti, Sabita Kumari and Rupesh Pal continued their hunger strike.The Jharkhand government may therefore have addressed the central demand of the protesting aspirants, but the cancellation has opened a new front – with successful candidates now preparing to fight to protect jobs they say they earned fairly.- Ends(with inputs from PTI)Published By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 18, 2026 14:36 IST