Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Supreme Court to Hear Jharkhand Exam CBI Probe Plea
The Jharkhand Public Service Commission held a civil services examination.
Some people alleged that the examination may not have been fair or properly managed.
Activist Harisharan Devgan has asked the Supreme Court to let the CBI investigate the allegations.
A state CID investigation is already under way.
He wants investigators to examine every important step, from printing question papers to publishing results.
He also wants physical and digital evidence protected from possible tampering.
The state government cancelled the examination after public protests lasting 26 days.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to consider the request on August 24, while the Jharkhand High Court has paused some separate recruitment-cancellation decisions.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday, August 24, a plea seeking a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Preliminary Competitive Examination.
The examination was conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission on April 19; the reports differ over whether it was the 2025 examination held in 2026 or refer to 2025 generally.
Petitioner Harisharan Devgan seeks to transfer the ongoing investigation from the state CID to the CBI for an independent, comprehensive and time-bound probe.
The proposed investigation would examine the entire examination chain, including question papers, OMR sheets, scanning, evaluation, electronic data and result publication.
The Hemant Soren government cancelled the examination after 26 days of public protests, while the Jharkhand High Court stayed several recruitment-cancellation notifications.
- Who
- Activist Harisharan Devgan, represented by advocate Satyam Singh Rajput, filed the plea; the Jharkhand Public Service Commission conducted the examination and the state CID is investigating it.
- What
- The Supreme Court will consider a plea to transfer the investigation into alleged examination irregularities from the state CID to the CBI.
- When
- The examination was held on April 19, the state announced its cancellation on August 19, and the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the plea on Monday, August 24. The reports differ over the examination year and date reference, citing 2025 and April 19, 2026.
- Where
- The examination and related recruitment disputes concern Jharkhand; the plea will be heard by the Supreme Court.
- Why
- The petitioner says the allegations involve the state recruitment machinery and the entire examination process, making an agency insulated from the relevant state machinery necessary for an independent and credible investigation.
- Examination
- Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Preliminary Competitive Examination
- Conducting body
- Jharkhand Public Service Commission
- Examination date
- April 19; the reports differ on whether the examination is identified as 2025 or as being held on April 19, 2026
- Current investigation
- Investigation by the state CID
- Requested agency
- Central Bureau of Investigation
- Cancellation
- The Hemant Soren government cancelled the examination on August 19 after 26 days of public protests
- Evidence sought for protection
- Original and candidate-held OMR carbon copies, CCTV footage and server audit logs
- Related High Court action
- The Jharkhand High Court stayed notifications cancelling several recruitments and appointments, including JSSC-CGL and CDPO positions
