Jharkhand cancels JSSC-CGL, TDPL recruitment tests amid protests

The Jharkhand government on Monday, August 17, cancelled the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination and all recruitment tests conducted by outsourced agency TSR Data Processing Pvt Ltd (TDPL) since 2014, amid a prolonged protest by job aspirants over alleged irregularities.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the decisions after chairing a cabinet meeting at the state secretariat. He also announced the formation of an exam reforms committee headed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal to recommend measures to strengthen the state’s recruitment examination system.

“The government has decided to cancel the JSSC-CGL exam, which was one of the major demands of the protesting students. We have also decided to cancel all tests conducted by outsourced agency TDPL and the results published by it,” Soren said.

The decision came as six protesters continued their hunger strike and the government prepared for another round of talks with the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which has been leading the agitation for more than three weeks.

The protesters, however, said the cancellation of the examinations would not end the agitation as their key demand for a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities remained unaddressed.

The Manch said it would continue the protest until the government agreed to a CBI investigation. The protesters have also announced plans to gherao the chief minister’s residence on August 20.

Soren said investigations by the CID and a special investigation team had brought to light several “surprising factors”, including the apparent involvement of companies operating in Jharkhand in what he described as a “huge exam racket”. He said details could not be disclosed at this stage.

The chief minister also said the government had enacted the Jharkhand Competitive Examination Prevention and Redressal of Unfair Means in Recruitment Act and would implement it strictly.

The cancellation, meanwhile, triggered a counter-protest by candidates who had cleared the JSSC-CGL examination and secured government jobs. A group of successful candidates gathered outside the state secretariat and appealed to Soren to reconsider the decision, claiming that around 2,000 people could lose their jobs.

The opposition BJP backed the demand for a CBI probe. Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi urged Soren to accept the protesters’ demand and questioned why the government should oppose a CBI investigation if it was confident about the recruitment process.

Meanwhile, the CID continued raids in connection with the alleged examination irregularities. CID ADG Manoj Kaushik said officials were conducting raids at the JSSC office as part of the investigation.