The Jharkhand High Court on Friday, 18 September 2026, extended its stay on the state government's decision to cancel appointments made through the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) examination and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) Combined Graduate Level (CGL) recruitment process. The court simultaneously appointed a retired High Court judge to oversee the investigation into alleged irregularities in both recruitment exercises.

Court's Key Observations

A bench of Justice Deepak Roshan heard a batch of petitions challenging the government's blanket annulment of appointments. The court orally observed that while available material suggests not all selections were conducted fairly, it is equally true that not every appointment was tainted. The bench expressed concern that a sweeping cancellation could unjustly penalise officials against whom no individual wrongdoing has been established.

The court also flagged the lengthy timelines of the JPSC recruitment process, noting that examinations and appointments often take two to three years to complete — making blanket cancellations particularly damaging for candidates who cleared the process legitimately.

Retired Judge, IPS Officer to Lead Oversight

To ensure impartial scrutiny, the court appointed retired High Court judge Gautam Kumar Choudhary to monitor the investigation. Retired IPS officer R.K. Malik was designated as the nodal officer for the probe. The dual-oversight structure signals the court's intent to insulate the inquiry from executive influence while keeping it moving.

What the Government Argued

The Jharkhand government and the JPSC both filed responses before the court. In its affidavit, the state defended its decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL examination, arguing that the entire recruitment process had been irreparably compromised by alleged irregularities, making it impossible to distinguish genuinely successful candidates from those who may have benefited unfairly.

The government cited Supreme Court guidelines that permit cancellation of an entire examination when valid selections cannot be separated from tainted ones. It further revealed that confidential examination work — including question paper printing and distribution — had been entrusted to a firm called ICN Technology.

Scope of the Alleged Scam

According to the government's affidavit, 28 individuals have been arrested in connection with the alleged exam scam, including ICN Technology CEO Somansh Prakash. Notices have been issued to 265 people. The investigation reportedly uncovered evidence that candidates were allegedly coached with answers at locations in Nepal, Asansol, Kolkata, Bihar, Jharia, and Bokaro. Of the 28 candidates allegedly taken to Nepal, 10 reportedly cleared the CGL examination, according to the affidavit. The investigation is still underway.

Legal Representation and Next Steps

Senior advocates Rajeev Ranjan, Indrajeet Sinha, Amritansh Vats, Kumar Harsh, Sonal Tiwari, and Subhash Rasik Soren, among others, appeared for the petitioners. The state government was represented by senior advocate Meenakshi Arora and Advocate General Rohitashwa Roy, while the JPSC was represented by advocates Sanjay Piperwal and Prince Kumar. The stay extension means affected appointees retain their positions for now, pending the outcome of the court-monitored probe.