JPSC exam irregularities: Justice will be delivered, promises Jharkhand CM but pressure mounts for a CBI probe

The agitation in Ranchi demanding cancellation of the 14^th JPSC preliminary examination, a CBI-ED probe into paper leaks and reforms to ensure fair recruitment tests is gathering momentum.

The youth have been on an indefinite sit-in for the past 11 days and at least two youth leaders Devendra Mahto and Jai Ram Mahto have been on an indefinite fast. The youth have taken out torch-lit processions and plan to march to the Assembly on Friday, 7 August demanding a direct dialogue with the chief minister. A new demand is that the chief minister must resign on moral grounds.

Hemant Soren on Tuesday, 4 August, declared that his government is sensitive to the demands of the youth and students. “We have eyes and ears,” he asserted and assured that justice would be done. A CID investigation into the allegations have led to the arrest of 11 people so far, most of them associated with coaching institutes and a NOIDA-based examination-conducting agency TDPL.

The chairman of JPSC, former chief secretary Lalbiaktluanga Khiangte (Retd. IAS) has resigned and a SIT is looking into required structural changes.

The protests are being held under the banner of JSSC-JPSC Bhrashtachar Mukt Abhiyan, and has been drawing job aspirants from all 24 districts of Jharkhand. Teachers, tribal organisations, and youth collectives have joined the sit-ins, emphasising that recruitment corruption disproportionately hurts rural and marginalised aspirants.

They have alleged that in Jharkhand too government jobs are being ‘sold’ to those who are willing to pay the price and to those who have ‘connections’. The allegations are yet to be substantiated.

Protests intensified since 29 July after results were declared of the combined preliminary test held in April, 2026. Aspirants complained of paper leaks, OMR sheet discrepancies and procedural lapses.

One of the key demands is to put a ban on TDPL (TDPL (TSR Data Processing Pvt. Ltd.), a private exam-conducting agency based in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Significantly, the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission officially delisted TDPL in May 2025, but JPSC continued to contract it for exams despite the delisting by JSSC.

TSR Data Processing Pvt. Ltd. (TDPL) registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) under CIN U72300UP2010PTC041566, lists Ram Beer Singh and Satya Pal Singh in its Board of Directors. The company has been active for over 15 years.

The MCA lists its authorised capital as Rs 16 lakh and paid-up capital as Rs one lakh. However, it had an employee strength of 437 in 2024 according to MCA filings.

The CID investigation into the 14th JPSC Preliminary Exam (2026) revealed lapses in exam management, OMR handling, and possible leaks and several TDPL officials, including its Director Ramveer Singh, managers, and marketing officials were arrested and interrogated by CID for alleged fraud, forgery, and criminal conspiracy in the conduct of the examination.

The agency itself is 10 years old and how it was contracted is under investigation. TDPL, contracted in 2025 for exam management, data processing, and recruitment-related services, was responsible for exam logistics, OMR sheet handling, and data processing.

While the Jharkhand government waits for the CID to complete its investigation, the opposition and the agitating youth see this as a delaying tactics.

There are indications that the government is actively considering a High Court-monitored CID investigation but the political pressure on it to order a CBI investigation is mounting.