JPSC exam row: Congress demands immediate cancellation, probe in 90 days

Amid ongoing protests in Ranchi by JPSC-JSSC aspirants, the Congress has demanded the cancellation of the 14th JPSC exam and a probe. The government has responded by launching an email ID to collect suggestions for systemic reforms.

Ranchi District Congress Committee President and NSUI representative Kumar Raja on Saturday demanded the immediate cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination and a probe into examinations facing allegations of irregularities.

Congress Details Demands for Probe and Transparency

Speaking to reporters here during the ongoing JPSC-JSSC aspirants' protest in Ranchi, Raja said the Congress had submitted a memorandum prepared after consulting students and understanding their concerns. "We have submitted a memorandum, drafted after consulting students and understanding their sentiments and needs. The 14th JPSC examination must be cancelled immediately," Raja said.

"Furthermore, all examinations marred by suspicion should be investigated within a strict 90-day timeframe via the CID or SIT. The progress of these actions--including who has been apprehended and what irregularities have surfaced--should be made public. Efforts must be made to ensure the entire examination system of JPSC and JSSC is transparent... Another strong demand of ours is that, just as there is an annual academic calendar, there should be an annual calendar for recruitment examinations... The root cause of all these issues is outsourcing... If the government were to establish its own system and set an example, I believe Jharkhand would become the first state to successfully conduct completely fair and transparent examinations", he said.

Opposition Slams Government's Handling of Issue

The demands were raised amid the ongoing protest by JPSC-JSSC aspirants in Ranchi seeking action over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations and reforms in the examination system.

Earlier, Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, on Saturday slammed the JMM-led government and said that it should not divert from the issue of irregularities in the examinations "under the guise of talks" with the protesters.

Pointing out the past examination irregularities, Babulal Marandi alleged that the Jharkhand government does not want aspirants to get government jobs. The BJP leaders told reporters, "The government should initiate dialogue; it will help resolve the issue. However, the government should not divert the issue under the guise of talks. The matter is extremely serious. The way there were irregularities in the examination and those involved must be punished."

"In January 2025, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of JTET over CTET, and asked the government to begin the recruitment process in three months. However, the government did not begin the process for a long time; instead, it filed an affidavit in court, cancelling the recruitment process. The government did not want students of Jharkhand to get the job," he added.

Government Engages with Protesters, Seeks Public Feedback

Today, a delegation of agitating JPSC and JSSC aspirants in Ranchi met with Jharkhand Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu.

The recent irregularities in competitive examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) triggered widespread protests by candidates demanding transparency and structural changes.

After a meeting with the delegation of JPSC JSSC Reform Manch, Jharkhand Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu announced that the state government has released a dedicated email ID to collect suggestions from students and stakeholders for policy reforms.

Speaking to reporters, Minister Sonu stated that the government is committed to engaging with all student groups to reach a collective decision. "We will continue to meet with various student groups and stakeholders. We will meet with all of them. Additionally, we are releasing an email ID--JPSSC.feedback@gmail.com. Any student, individual, or stakeholder can send suggestions to this address, and we intend to formulate a reform policy and reach a collective decision based on everyone's input. The government will take their concerns into account based on the emails received," he said. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)