Jharkhand: Candidates move HC against exams cancellation

Ranchi, Aug 19 (IANS) Following the Jharkhand government’s decision to cancel 22 recruitment examinations amid alleged irregularities, affected candidates have approached the Jharkhand High Court seeking relief.

Selected candidates filed three separate petitions on Tuesday and Wednesday for the 11th to 13th JPSC Combined Civil Services Examinations, the Food Safety Officer examination, and the JSSC‑CGL. The petitioners have also sought an urgent hearing, though the matters have not yet been listed.

The petitioners include Awadhesh Kumar, Deepmala, Sonam Kumari, Saurabh Singh and other successful candidates. Their primary contention is that the government unilaterally cancelled the examinations and subsequent appointments without giving them a chance to be heard.

Many candidates had already joined government service after selection, and the cancellation decision has directly threatened their jobs and livelihoods.

Invoking the principle of natural justice, the candidates argue that action should be taken only against those whose roles are found suspicious after a proper investigation.

They contend it is unfair to remove all successful candidates from their positions without individual inquiry or hearing. They maintain that they appeared in the examinations as per the prescribed procedure, secured positions on merit, and received valid appointments.

In the JSSC‑CGL matter, some petitioners have additionally pointed out that the results were declared pursuant to earlier High Court orders. This, they argue, raises serious questions about the legality of the government’s subsequent decision to scrap the entire examination process.

The Jharkhand government ordered the cancellation of a large number of recruitment examinations based on findings from CID and SIT investigations into alleged irregularities in competitive exams.

The cancelled examinations include the JPSC’s 11th to 13th Combined Civil Services Examinations, the JSSC‑CGL, and tests for posts such as civil judge, deputy collector, food safety officer, drug inspector, assistant professor, lecturer, assistant engineer, forest range officer and assistant forest conservator.

–IANS

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