Successful candidates in Jharkhand are protesting the state government's decision to cancel 22 recruitment examinations, with some finding relief as the high court stays certain cancellation notifications amidst ongoing investigations into alleged irregularities.
Key Points
- Successful candidates of cancelled Jharkhand recruitment exams are protesting, demanding justice and the reversal of the government's decision.
- Protesters, including those selected for JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) posts, argue that meritorious candidates should not suffer due to alleged irregularities.
- The Jharkhand high court has issued an interim stay on notifications cancelling appointments from the 11th and 13th JPSC exams and Food Safety Officers, though this does not cover all 22 cancelled examinations.
- The state government cancelled 22 recruitment examinations and ordered probes into 23 others conducted since 2014 by JPSC, JSSC, and TDPL due to alleged irregularities.
- A CID Special Investigation Team is interrogating suspects regarding alleged irregularities in the JSSC Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination 2023.
Successful candidates of recruitment examinations cancelled by the Jharkhand government staged a demonstration outside the state secretariat on August 21, Friday.
Armed with portraits of tribal icon Birsa Munda and JMM founder Shibu Soren and placards, the protesting candidates, including those selected through the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) exam, raised slogans such as "Nyay do ya faansi do (Give us justice or hang us)" and "Sharm karo, sharm karo (Have shame)".
Protesters Demand Justice
Ramesh Mandal, a resident of Deoghar who was selected as a welfare officer, said he had been protesting since August 19 and would continue the agitation until justice was delivered.
"I appeal to the government to withdraw its decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL examination as it did so without assigning any reason," another candidate, Chanda Kumari, said.
The protesters said they have full faith in the judiciary, expressing confidence that the court would stay the government's decision to cancel all the examinations.
High Court Intervention and Government Action
The high court on Wednesday stayed notifications cancelling appointments made through the 11th and 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations and those of Food Safety Officers.
The interim order, however, does not cover all 22 examinations cancelled by the state government.
The government on August 18 cancelled 22 recruitment examinations and ordered probes into 23 others conducted since 2014 by the JPSC, Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) and outsourced agency TDPL, amid a prolonged agitation over alleged irregularities.
Around 2,700 successful candidates, including those selected through the JSSC CGL examination, have been protesting against the cancellations.
They contend that candidates selected on merit should not lose their jobs because of alleged irregularities.
Ongoing Investigations and Political Reactions
Meanwhile, the CID's Special Investigation Team (SIT) has interrogated 37 suspects in connection with alleged irregularities in the JSSC Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination 2023.
BJP leader Champai Soren blamed the state government for the situation.
"If there had been even a shred of seriousness in the government regarding this matter, it would have ordered a CBI probe. Jharkhand has been a state for 26 years now, and this so-called 'abua (own)' government has been in power for seven years, but alas, even today, a transparent recruitment process hasn't been established here," he said.
Meanwhile, the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch questioned the state government's intent, alleging that neither the advocate general nor any senior advocate was present in the high court to contest the stay order.
