Surendra Soren
Ranchi
The Jharkhand government’s decision to order an inquiry into irregularities in 45 examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) is set to become one of the largest recruitment examination investigations undertaken in the state.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is currently conducting the probe under the leadership of ADG CID Manoj Kaushik. According to sources, the investigation team comprises an IG, a DIG, three SPs, around a dozen DSPs and nearly 50 police officers.
With the government formally ordering an inquiry into 45 examinations, the CID is expected to substantially expand its investigation team. Sources said additional officers of IG, DIG and SP ranks may be assigned to the probe. District police teams are also likely to assist the CID in collecting evidence and conducting inquiries in different cases.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren had on Monday announced that all examinations conducted since 2014 would be examined for possible irregularities. The Personnel Department subsequently issued a formal notification on Tuesday covering 45 examinations. Of these, 22 have been cancelled, six postponed and inquiries ordered into 17 examinations.
The examinations facing action include recruitment for non-teaching posts in universities, assistant directors and senior scientific officers, drug inspectors, assistant professors in government engineering colleges, lecturers in government polytechnics, super-specialist assistant professors in medical colleges, civil judges, assistant conservators of forests, forest range officers and assistant public prosecutors.
The list also includes the Jharkhand Combined Civil Services examinations of 2023 and 2025, Jharkhand Eligibility Test 2024, Food Safety Officer, Child Development Project Officer, Food Analyst, Project Manager, Factory Inspector, Boiler Inspector, Soil Conservation Officer, Agriculture Officer, Dentist, Geologist-Chemist and Assistant Engineer recruitments.
The scale of the probe is expected to pose a major administrative and logistical challenge for the state investigation agencies, with officials likely to be assigned specific examinations and cases as the investigation progresses.
