Jharkhand High Court Stays Cancellation of JPSC, JSSC Recruitment Exams
The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday stayed the state government's order cancelling 22 recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). The stay brings temporary relief to thousands of successful candidates whose appointments had been thrown into uncertainty by the government's decision.
The state government had issued the cancellation orders last month following a 25-day agitation by students who alleged irregularities in the examination process. The government cited complaints regarding irregularities in examinations conducted through the testing agency TDPL and referred to facts brought before it during a CID investigation. It also announced the formation of a committee to examine reforms in the JPSC and JSSC examination systems.
The cancelled examinations covered a wide range of posts, including drug inspectors, assistant professors, deputy collectors, dental doctors, assistant engineers, civil judges, additional public prosecutors, forest range officers, lecturers in government polytechnics, senior scientific officers and assistant conservators of forests, among others.
Four petitions were filed challenging the state government's order. The petitioners include successful candidates from the 11th to 13th JPSC Combined Civil Services Examination, the JSSC-CGL examination and the Food Safety Officer examination. Among the named petitioners are Avadhesh Kumar, Deepmala, Sonam Kumari and Saurabh Singh.
The candidates argued that the government unilaterally cancelled the examinations and subsequent appointments without giving them an opportunity to present their case. A significant number of these candidates had already joined government service after their selection, and the cancellation directly jeopardised their employment.
The petitioners invoked the principles of natural justice, asserting that while action should be taken against any candidate found to have played a dubious role during the investigation, it would be unjust to remove all successful candidates from their jobs without an individual inquiry or hearing. They maintained that they had appeared for the examinations in accordance with the prescribed procedure, secured positions on the merit lists and were subsequently appointed to government posts.
In the JSSC-CGL case, some petitioners further argued that the examination results had been declared in compliance with earlier High Court orders, raising questions over the legality of the government's subsequent decision to cancel the entire examination.
The High Court's stay order means that, for now, the government cannot act on its cancellation order. The court will hear the case further after receiving responses from the state government and the relevant commissions. Legal experts say the stay is not a final verdict but an interim measure that preserves the status quo until the court examines the merits of the case.
The development is significant because it affects the careers of thousands of candidates who had cleared the recruitment process. It also highlights the tension between administrative action on alleged irregularities and the rights of individuals who have passed examinations through transparent procedures. The state government is expected to file its response, and the court's final decision will determine the fate of the cancelled examinations and the appointments made before the cancellation order.
