Jharkhand cancels 44 recruitment exams over irregularities

The Jharkhand government has cancelled 44 recruitment examinations conducted since 2014 due to widespread irregularities, a decision announced late on August 18, 2026, following sustained student protests demanding transparency in the state's hiring process. The cancellations, which include tests for positions ranging from drug inspectors and assistant professors to civil judges and forest range officers, have created immediate administrative disruption and sparked protests from both student activists and newly appointed government employees.

The state cabinet, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, first announced the cancellation of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level examination and all tests conducted by the outsourced agency TSR Data Processing Private Limited on August 17. The government then issued eight notifications late on August 18 listing the full scope of cancelled exams, which encompass recruitment drives by both the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and the outsourced agency. The notifications stated that a request would be made to the High Court to constitute a fast-track court for cases related to the irregularities and that an...