Jharkhand HC quashes Soren govt's decision to cancel JSSC CGL exam

File photo: Successful JSSC-CGL candidates, appointed in various Jharkhand government departments, staging a protest in Ranchi (PTI Photo)NEW DELHI: The Jharkhand High Court on Friday quashed the state government's decision to cancel the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC CGL) examination, bringing relief to candidates who had cleared the recruitment test.The court also set aside the government's decision to cancel the recruitment advertisement for the appointments, according to news agency ANI.The ruling comes amid ongoing legal proceedings over the cancellation of several recruitment examinations in Jharkhand following allegations of irregularities and weeks of protests by candidates.On August 18, the Jharkhand government issued a notification cancelling 22 recruitment examinations, including the 11th to 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations, following public protests over alleged irregularities.Two days later, on August 20, the Jharkhand High Court stayed the state government's order cancelling the appointments of government employees recruited through the 11th to 13th JPSC examinations.Government sought more time to file affidavitThe high court had earlier deferred hearings on petitions challenging the cancellation of JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations and appointments, scheduling the next hearing for September 18.The court fixed the date after the state government sought additional time to file its affidavit. The government had previously been directed to submit the affidavit by September 7 but failed to do so within the stipulated period.The cancellation of the JSSC CGL examination had triggered protests by candidates, including those who had already secured government appointments through the recruitment process.In a protest held after the cancellation announcement, appointed candidates questioned the government's decision and demanded an opportunity to present their side.One of the protesters, Chanda Kumari, told news agenct PTI that thousands of candidates who had secured appointments had been affected by the decision.She questioned whether cancelling the examination would ensure justice and action against those actually responsible for the alleged irregularities.“Our judiciary and democracy function on the principle that even if 100 guilty people go free, one innocent person should not be punished. But with the government's decision, thousands of innocent people have been punished immediately,” she said.Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who had been on a 16-day hunger strike, ended his protest after the government announced the cancellations. He described the decision as a “huge victory for Jharkhand” but said his campaign for recruitment reforms would continue, the earlier report said.CID arrests accused in examination irregularities casesMeanwhile, the Jharkhand Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested two accused in separate cases linked to alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, officials said.In connection with alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC preliminary examination, the CID arrested Sanjeet Kumar from the Ratu Road area of Ranchi.Kumar, who allegedly ran Shivangan Coaching Centre, is accused of acting as an agent and collecting money from candidates by promising to help them clear the examination, officials said.The alleged irregularities have also reached the Supreme Court. Last month, the apex court issued notices to the Centre, the Jharkhand government and others on a public interest litigation seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or an independent probe into alleged irregularities in the 2025 JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination.A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana sought responses from the authorities on the petition filed by social worker Harisharan Devgan.Senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, appearing for the petitioner, told the bench that students had been continuously protesting over the alleged irregularities.The petitioner has sought directions for a fresh preliminary examination under safeguards approved by the Supreme Court.