Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Monday reserved its verdict after hearing arguments from all parties in petitions challenging the cancellation of recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC). The cases concern the JPSC Combined Civil Services Competitive Examination, the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) recruitment examination and the Food Safety Officer competitive examination.
The court has also directed the petitioners and the state government to submit brief written arguments before it delivers its decision.
The proceedings come amid allegations of widespread irregularities in the examinations, including tampering with Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets, manipulation of the on-screen marking system, alleged leaks of answer keys and the use of impersonators and solver gangs. The state government has argued that the alleged misconduct compromised the integrity of the entire recruitment process and justified the cancellation of the examinations.
Jharkhand High Court Hears Arguments on Recruitment Exam Cancellation
During the hearing, the state government submitted a sealed report detailing the investigation conducted so far. The government maintained that the alleged irregularities were not limited to individual misconduct but indicated that the examination system itself had been compromised.
Advocate Amritansh Vats, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the alleged irregularities involving TDPL, the agency responsible for conducting the examinations, required a thorough investigation.
The court heard arguments from the parties challenging the cancellation as well as those supporting the government’s decision. After completing the hearing, it reserved its verdict and asked the parties to submit concise written submissions.
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Government Alleges Large-Scale Irregularities in JPSC Examinations
In its affidavit before the court, the state government stated that the investigation had uncovered evidence suggesting systematic fraud in the examinations. According to the government, the alleged irregularities extended across different stages of the examination and evaluation process.
The government cited several alleged irregularities, including:
- OMR sheet tampering: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) investigation reportedly found large-scale manipulation of OMR sheets.
- On-screen marking irregularities: Alleged discrepancies were identified in the digital marking system used during the examination process.
- Answer key transmission: The government alleged that the then Controller had transmitted the answer key through WhatsApp.
- Use of solver gangs: Multiple groups allegedly helped candidates secure success through unfair means.
- Candidate impersonation: The investigation reportedly uncovered instances of candidates being substituted or impersonated during the examinations.
The government argued that these allegations raised serious concerns about the credibility of the examination process and the fairness of the resulting selections.
State Government Defends Cancellation of Entire Recruitment Process
The state government maintained that the matter was not simply about taking disciplinary action against an individual employee. Instead, it argued that the alleged irregularities had undermined the integrity of the entire recruitment process.
According to the government’s affidavit, when the examination-conducting agency is allegedly compromised and evidence is destroyed, the credibility of the entire selection process comes into question.
The government further argued that retaining candidates selected through an allegedly tainted examination could undermine public confidence in recruitment to the civil services.
It submitted that conducting fresh examinations through an agency capable of ensuring transparency and fairness would be an appropriate course of action in the public interest.
Allegations of ₹50 Lakh Payments in Exchange for Selection
During the hearing, Advocate Kumar Harsh, representing the intervenors, alleged that TDPL, the agency responsible for conducting the 11th–13th Civil Services Examination and the CDPO examination, facilitated the selection of several candidates in exchange for payments of ₹50 lakh each.
Harsh referred to a statement reportedly given by Abhay Kumar Tiwari during the investigation in connection with the allegations.
These claims formed part of the arguments presented before the court. The allegations remain subject to the ongoing legal proceedings and investigation.
JPSC Earlier Acknowledged Systematic Examination Irregularities
During an earlier hearing, JPSC had stated that irregularities had occurred systematically during the examinations and that the investigation indicated that their fairness had been compromised.
The commission also highlighted the difficulty of distinguishing between candidates who may have benefited from alleged malpractice and those who may have succeeded without any wrongdoing.
This issue is central to the dispute over cancellation of the recruitment examinations, as the allegations raise questions about whether the results can be considered reliable and whether the selection process can be preserved.
Verdict Awaited in JPSC Recruitment Examination Case
With the Jharkhand High Court reserving its verdict, the petitioners and the state government must now submit their brief written arguments as directed by the court.
The court’s forthcoming decision is expected to address the legal challenge to the cancellation of the JPSC Combined Civil Services, CDPO and Food Safety Officer recruitment examinations.
Until the verdict is delivered, the future of the affected recruitment processes remains subject to the court’s decision. The allegations of examination malpractice and the findings of the ongoing investigation will remain important aspects of the case.
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