Jharkhand HC stays cancellation of appointments through 11th, 12th, 13th JPSC exams

The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday put on hold the implementation of government notifications cancelling the appointments of employees recruited through the 11th, 12th and 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations.

The interim order was passed while hearing a petition challenging the cancellation notifications. The court has asked the Jharkhand government to file its response by September 15, when the case will be taken up again.

Advocate Amritansh Vats, appearing for the petitioners, said the court had prima facie stayed the cancellation of appointments made through the 11th to 13th JPSC examinations, along with the notification related to the recruitment of food safety officers.

Vats said the court noted that the cancellation orders appeared to be contrary to the principles of natural justice. The stay is expected to provide relief to around 450 applicants whose appointments were affected by the government's decision.

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Order brings relief to candidates

The high court's intervention comes amid wider scrutiny of recruitment examinations conducted in Jharkhand. The latest order temporarily protects the appointments covered by the challenged notifications until the next hearing.

The development follows the Jharkhand government's decision earlier this week to cancel the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation on August 18, after students had been protesting for 24 days over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.

Government announces wider examination review

The decision was taken during a four-hour emergency Cabinet meeting. Soren also announced that examinations conducted since 2014 through TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL), which has been blacklisted, would be cancelled.

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The chief minister further said a committee headed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal would be formed to recommend reforms in the state's examination system. The committee is expected to examine measures aimed at strengthening the recruitment and examination process in Jharkhand.

(With PTI inputs)