The Jharkhand High Court on Friday quashed the state government’s decision to cancel the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC CGL) 2023 examination, bringing relief to thousands of candidates who had successfully cleared the recruitment test. The court termed the government’s decision to scrap the examination “unfair and unjust” while hearing petitions filed by successful candidates challenging the cancellation.Justice Deepak Roshan set aside the state government’s notification cancelling the examination, which was conducted on September 21 and 22, 2024. The ruling comes months after the government decided to cancel several recruitment examinations amid widespread protests by job aspirants over alleged irregularities, question paper leaks and recruitment-related controversies.
Jharkhand High Court sets aside JSSC CGL exam cancellation order
The High Court’s decision follows multiple petitions filed by candidates who had qualified in the JSSC CGL examination. The petitioners challenged the state government’s decision, arguing that the cancellation had adversely affected candidates who had cleared the selection process without being given an opportunity to present their case.The candidates maintained that the government could not cancel the entire examination without hearing those who had successfully cleared it. Taking note of their submissions, Justice Deepak Roshan held that the decision was “unfair and unjust” and quashed the cancellation notification.The ruling is expected to provide relief to thousands of aspirants who had been awaiting the outcome of the recruitment process and the appointment process for the advertised government posts.
Why did Jharkhand government cancel the JSSC CGL examination?
The Jharkhand government had cancelled the JSSC CGL 2023 examination in August amid protests by job aspirants over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. The government cited evidence of large-scale malpractices and question paper leaks as the grounds for scrapping the examination.The decision was not limited to the JSSC CGL recruitment test. The state government had announced the cancellation of 22 recruitment examinations conducted since 2014. It had also ordered investigations into 23 other examinations following allegations of irregularities in the recruitment process.The examinations under scrutiny were conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) and outsourced agency TDPL.The move had triggered uncertainty among candidates who had appeared for various recruitment examinations, particularly those who had already cleared the selection process and were expecting appointments.
CID SIT continues probe into alleged JSSC CGL irregularities
While the High Court has quashed the state government’s cancellation decision concerning the JSSC CGL examination, the investigation into the alleged irregularities remains a separate matter.A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Jharkhand Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is probing the allegations of irregularities in the JSSC CGL examination. The investigation concerns claims of question paper leaks and other recruitment-related malpractices.The court’s decision on the cancellation notification comes against the backdrop of these ongoing investigations. The allegations and the responsibility of those involved in any malpractice remain matters for investigation.
What is the JSSC CGL examination?
The Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level examination is a state-level competitive recruitment examination conducted to fill graduate-level government vacancies across various departments of the Jharkhand government.The examination is held to recruit eligible candidates for Group B and other state government posts. Through the selection process, the commission assesses candidates for different administrative and departmental positions.The High Court’s latest ruling has brought the cancellation of the examination into question and offered relief to successful candidates who had challenged the state government’s decision.(With inputs from PTI)
