Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court has put a stay on the state government’s decision to cancel the 11th and 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations and the appointments made through them. The order comes as a relief to several candidates who had already joined government service after being selected.
The court passed the order while hearing petitions filed by newly appointed officers challenging the government’s decision to cancel the examinations and subsequent appointments.
Why Did Jharkhand Cancel the Recruitment Exams?
The Jharkhand government had announced the cancellation of several JPSC and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) recruitment examinations after investigations by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Special Investigation Team (SIT) reportedly found irregularities in different competitive examinations.
The decision followed a 25-day student protest over alleged irregularities in the recruitment process. The government also announced plans to form a committee to recommend reforms in the JPSC and JSSC examination systems.
A list released by the government included 44 recruitment examinations conducted by the two commissions. The affected exams covered a wide range of government positions, including drug inspectors, assistant professors, deputy collectors, dental doctors, assistant engineers, civil judges, additional public prosecutors and forest range officers.
Other examinations on the list included recruitment for lecturers in government polytechnics, senior scientific officers, assistant conservators of forests and several administrative and technical posts.
Newly Appointed Officers Challenge Cancellation
The petitioners argued that the government cancelled the examinations and appointments without giving the selected candidates an opportunity to explain their position.
Several candidates had already joined government departments after completing the recruitment process. According to their petitions, cancelling the appointments collectively could put their careers and employment at risk.
The candidates also relied on the principles of natural justice. They argued that if an individual candidate was found to have been involved in malpractice or other wrongdoing, action could be taken against that person after an appropriate inquiry. However, cancelling the appointments of all successful candidates without giving them an individual hearing would be unfair.
What Happens Next?
The High Court’s stay means the government’s cancellation order concerning the 11th and 13th JPSC examinations and appointments will remain on hold for now.
The case is expected to determine how the alleged examination irregularities should be dealt with while protecting the rights of candidates who were selected through the recruitment process.
The development is particularly significant for candidates who have already entered government service and were facing uncertainty following the state government’s cancellation decision.
