1 week ago
Supreme Court Seeks Response on Jharkhand Exam CBI Probe
The Supreme Court is looking at a request for a CBI investigation into problems alleged in a Jharkhand government examination.
Activist Harisharan Devgan filed the request.
A State CID investigation is already taking place.
The petitioner says the CBI would be more independent from the state recruitment system.
Students protested for more than a month over the alleged problems.
The Jharkhand government cancelled the examination on August 19.
The petitioner says cancellation should not stop efforts to find out what happened.
The petition also asks officials to protect answer sheets, camera recordings and computer records from being changed or lost.
The Supreme Court issued notices on August 24, 2026, over alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination-2025.
Activist Harisharan Devgan asked the court to transfer the ongoing State CID investigation to the CBI.
The plea seeks an independent, impartial and time-bound probe into officials, examination personnel, service providers and evaluation agencies.
The Jharkhand government cancelled the examination on August 19 after public protests, but the petitioner said the investigation should continue.
The petition seeks protection of OMR copies, CCTV footage, server audit logs and other physical and digital evidence.
- Who
- The Supreme Court, activist Harisharan Devgan, the Jharkhand government, the Jharkhand Public Service Commission, the State CID and the CBI are involved; students also protested.
- What
- The court issued notice on a plea seeking an independent, time-bound CBI probe into alleged malpractice, manipulation and irregularities in the Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination-2025.
- Where
- The examination was conducted in Jharkhand, and the plea was heard by the Supreme Court.
- When
- The notices were issued on August 24, 2026; the examination was cancelled on August 19, and results had been declared on July 2, 2026.
- Why
- The petitioner seeks an agency independent of the state machinery to investigate alleged irregularities, determine responsibility and preserve evidence.
Petitioner’s Position
Existing State Process
Investigating agency
Petitioner’s Position
The petitioner argues that the probe should be transferred from the State CID to the CBI to provide institutional independence and public confidence.
Existing State Process
The State CID is already investigating the allegations; the reports do not state the state government’s position on transferring the case.
Investigation after cancellation
Petitioner’s Position
The petitioner says cancellation does not remove the need to identify how the examination was compromised, who was responsible and whether systemic deficiencies existed.
Existing State Process
The state government cancelled the examination after protests, but the reports do not describe a separate argument against continuing the investigation.
Evidence protection
Petitioner’s Position
The plea asks the court to ensure that OMR copies, CCTV footage, server audit logs and other evidence remain secure and untampered.
Existing State Process
The reports do not provide a separate response from the state government, the commission or the CBI on the evidence-preservation request.
Key facts
- Petitioner
- Social activist Harisharan Devgan.
- Examination
- Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination-2025.
- Requested agency
- The Central Bureau of Investigation, or CBI.
- Existing investigation
- The State Criminal Investigation Department is investigating the allegations.
- Cancellation
- The Jharkhand government cancelled the examination on August 19, 2026, following public protests.
- Evidence named
- Original and candidate-held OMR carbon copies, CCTV footage and server audit logs.
- Court notice
- One report said notices went to the CBI, the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and the state government; another named the state government and the commission.
Quotes
Harisharan Devgan
Social activist and petitioner seeking transfer of the examination probe to the CBI
“The subsequent cancellation of the preliminary examination... does not obviate the necessity for such independent investigation. On the contrary, the cancellation makes it necessary to determine whether and to what extent the examination process was compromised, the nature and mechanism of the alleged irregularities, the persons or agencies responsible, if any, and whether any systemic deficiencies existed in the examination process.”
telegraphindia.com
“In such circumstances, an investigation by an agency insulated from the state machinery connected with the subject matter of investigation is necessary to ensure institutional independence and to inspire public confidence in the outcome of the investigation.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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