Surendra Soren
Ranchi
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has summoned former Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) chairman L. Khiangte for questioning on July 28 as part of its investigation into alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination and other recruitment tests.
According to officials, the CID will question Khiangte on several aspects of the examination process, including the conduct of examinations, preparation of results, selection of outsourced agencies, and administrative decisions taken during his tenure.
Meanwhile, breaking his silence amid the ongoing CID investigation and criticism from opposition parties, Khiangte said that when he assumed office on March 6, 2025, the commission was facing several administrative challenges and had a large backlog of pending cases. He stated that the commission cleared numerous pending matters, including promotion-related cases involving teachers, during his tenure.
Responding to allegations of examination irregularities and paper leaks, the former chairman maintained that the handling of answer sheets—from collection after the examination to storage in strong rooms—is governed by a highly confidential process. He described the security of answer scripts as one of the commission’s most sensitive responsibilities.
Khiangte also said that the JPSC chairman has no direct personal role in the evaluation of answer sheets or the preparation of main examination results beyond the framework prescribed by rules and procedures.
On the selection of the examination agency, he stated that agencies are chosen only after due scrutiny to ensure impartiality. He added that if any agency was later found to have deficiencies or was blacklisted, such information was not within his knowledge at the time of its selection.
The CID investigation into the alleged examination irregularities is continuing.
