Why Did the Jharkhand HC Issue a Notice to JPSC Over the Civil Services Merit List?

Synopsis
In a significant legal development, the Jharkhand High Court has called upon the JPSC to respond to objections regarding the merit list of civil services examinations. With allegations of procedural irregularities surfacing, this case could reshape the recruitment landscape in Jharkhand. Stay tuned for updates as the case unfolds.
Key Takeaways
- Jharkhand High Court addresses concerns over merit list integrity.
- Petitioners highlight irregularities in evaluation processes.
- Next court hearing set for July 23.
- Over 3.5 lakh candidates participated in the preliminary exams.
- JPSC's recruitment drive targets 342 administrative positions.
Ranchi, June 11 (NationPress) The Jharkhand High Court has served a notice to the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), requesting a comprehensive reply to various objections submitted regarding the merit list for the 11th to 13th Civil Services Main Examination.
A bench led by Justice Deepak Roshan is currently reviewing a petition lodged by Rajesh Prasad and 53 other candidates, mandating that the JPSC present a detailed affidavit addressing the claims and concerns outlined in the petition.
The petitioners argue against the validity of the merit list, pointing out supposed breaches of examination protocols and procedural inconsistencies. A significant concern raised is the digital assessment of answer sheets, which the petition alleges is not permitted under existing examination guidelines.
Additionally, the petition asserts that the evaluation process was delegated to an external agency, with no public details available about the agency's identity or the tendering methods used for its selection.
Moreover, candidates have claimed that the evaluation, which should involve senior educators with over 10 years of experience at university-level colleges or five years at postgraduate institutions, was instead carried out by guest faculty with only two years of teaching experience.
Describing the merit list as “flawed and untrustworthy,” the petitioners are calling for a thorough re-evaluation of the answer sheets in accordance with the original regulations.
The High Court has scheduled the next hearing for July 23.
The JPSC published the advertisement for the 11th to 13th Combined Civil Services Examination in January 2024. The preliminary exam took place in March, attracting over 3.5 lakh candidates.
Results were announced on April 22, leading to the selection of 7,011 candidates for the Main examination, which was conducted from June 22 to 24, 2024. The results for the Main exam were released on May 20, 2025. This recruitment initiative aims to fill 342 administrative posts.