The Jharkhand Cabinet’s decision to scrap the JSSC-CGL examination has sparked strong resentment among candidates who had cleared the recruitment test and were already working in government departments across the state.
The successful candidates had begun fearing such an outcome on Monday morning as the student agitation at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium intensified and pressure mounted on the government to act against alleged irregularities in the recruitment process.
After finishing their official duties, several of the newly appointed employees took to the streets to protest the decision, saying their careers, which were barely seven months old, had been put at risk.
The protest intensified after the Chief Minister announced the cancellation of both the JSSC-CGL and the 14th JPSC Preliminary examinations. Soon after the announcement, hundreds of successful CGL candidates assembled and formed a human chain to register their opposition.
The aggrieved candidates alleged that deserving aspirants were being made to pay the price for irregularities they had neither committed nor benefited from. One successful candidate posted in Ranchi said the decision amounted to a victory for “mob rule” over merit and due process.
The candidates insisted that they had secured their appointments through hard work and competitive examinations and had not been involved in any wrongdoing. They said they would now approach the judiciary and challenge the Cabinet decision.
“We will approach the court because we believe that is where we will get justice,” the candidates said.
They further pointed out that their appointments had come after a division bench of the High Court passed orders in their favour and that the Supreme Court had subsequently upheld the process.
They questioned how the government could now cancel their appointments after they had already joined service.
“We were appointed following the High Court division bench’s order, and the Supreme Court had also upheld it. Yet, our jobs have suddenly been taken away,” said one of the successful candidates.
“We are deeply disappointed with the Chief Minister. Please reconsider the decision. What will happen to those among us who resigned from their earlier jobs to join government service?” he asked.
Another candidate said the successful aspirants should not be penalised for alleged irregularities in which they had no role. He said the candidates were ready to face any investigation by the government or the CID.
“If the government or CID wants, they can examine the answer sheets of every successful candidate and conduct any inquiry they deem necessary. We have committed no wrongdoing,” the candidate said.
The protesters maintained that their appointments had been secured through judicial intervention and expressed confidence that the courts would once again protect their interests.
Meanwhile, security arrangements were intensified at the state secretariat following the announcement. A large contingent of police personnel was deployed at the premises, while the SSP and City SP personally monitored the security arrangements.
Tension rose further when the Chief Minister’s convoy passed through the secretariat campus, with CGL employees raising slogans against ministers.
A number of agitated employees also staged a sit-in outside the main gate of the Project Building, shouting slogans and protesting the Cabinet’s decision to cancel the examination.
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