Jharkhand Scraps 22 Recruitment Exams Following Irregularity Probe
The Jharkhand government has announced the cancellation of 22 recruitment examinations following widespread student protests and complaints of irregularities. The decision, announced late on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, was prompted by findings and facts brought before the administration during an ongoing Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe.
Following the government's announcement, the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch, which has been staging a protest at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium since July 25, announced a two-month suspension of its agitation. However, the group clarified that the movement has not been terminated and will resume if their remaining demands, including a pending request for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry, are not met within the two-month window.
Scope of Cancelled and Postponed Examinations
The cancelled examinations include those conducted since 2014 by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL), an outsourced agency. Among the major examinations scrapped are the 11th to 13th JPSC exams, the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) exam, and the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination.
In addition to the cancellations, the state government has postponed six examinations pending a CID probe, while another 17 examinations will undergo investigation by the agency. In total, 23 examinations are currently under scrutiny. The government has issued eight notifications detailing the cancelled examinations that were conducted by TDPL, and has also cancelled the results of examinations where preliminary work was managed by other external agencies.
The specific list of cancelled recruitments includes:
- Examinations for Non-Teaching Posts in Universities of Jharkhand (2025)
- Assistant Director/Senior Scientific Officer (2025)
- Drug Inspector (2025)
- Assistant Professor in Government Engineering Colleges (Backlog-2026)
- Lecturer in Government Polytechnic/Government Women’s Polytechnic (Backlog-2026)
- Assistant Professor in Medical Colleges (Super Specialist) Department (2026)
- Civil Judge (Junior Division-2023)
- Assistant Conservator of Forest (2024)
- Forest Range Officer (2024)
- Assistant Public Prosecutor (Backlog-2025)
- Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Examination (2026)
- Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Examination (Backlog 2023)
- Food Safety Officer (2023)
- Child Development Project Officer (2023)
Among the postponed examinations are the Boiler Inspector (2025) and the Inspector of Factories. Meanwhile, older examinations handed over to the CID for investigation include the 5th Combined Civil Services (2013), Civil Judge (Junior Division-2015), Soil Conservation Officer (2015), and Food Safety Officer (2016).
Administrative Reforms and Legal Action
To address the systemic issues, the state government announced plans to request the High Court to establish a fast-track court to try cases related to misconduct and irregularities in JPSC and JSSC exams. Chief Minister Hemant Soren, alongside Cabinet ministers, had previously confirmed the decision to cancel the papers during a late-night press briefing at the Project Building in Ranchi on August 17, 2026.
The government stated that the need for comprehensive examination reforms became evident through facts uncovered during the CID and Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigations, as well as suggestions received from various channels. An Internal Monitoring Cell will be established within both the JPSC and JSSC to oversee future processes.
Furthermore, a dedicated reform committee will be formed under the chairmanship of Amitabh Kaushal (IAS). This committee, which will include other officials and the director of a reputed institution, is tasked with conducting a detailed study on examination reforms and submitting its report to the government within two months.
Ongoing Discontent and Counter-Protests
While the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch has paused its protest, the decision has sparked counter-protests from other student groups. Successful candidates of the JSSC-CGL examination continued their demonstration for a third consecutive day outside the Secretariat, demanding that the government withdraw the cancellation notification.
