Three Jharkhand PSC members resign following recruitment irregularity protests

Three members of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), Ajeeta Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda, and Jamal Ahmad, resigned on Sunday, August 9, 2026. Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar accepted the resignations following massive protests over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in recruitment tests. The resignations occurred after the CID summoned the three members. This follows the earlier resignation of JPSC chairperson L. Khiangte on July 22, who has since been questioned four times.

Nineteen people have been arrested in connection with the alleged irregularities. In response to the unrest, the state government agreed to cancel the 14th JPSC preliminary exam as well as the JPSC Backlog 2023 and 2025 exams. Education Minister Sudivya Kumar announced a two pronged approach that includes a CID probe into criminal aspects and a request for the Enforcement Directorate to investigate financial irregularities. The government also plans to establish fast track courts to ensure chargesheets are filed within 90 days and will form a reform committee featuring experts from IIT ISM, IIM, and XLRI.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren promised that those responsible would face severe punishment and emphasized that solutions should be found through dialogue. However, some protester demands remain unmet, including the cancellation of all JSSC CGL, JSSC JE, and PGT exams after 2019 and a CBI investigation. The government stated it cannot cancel the CGL examination because it is under the oversight of the high court and Supreme Court.