Ranchi: A protest led by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and the BJP over alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination turned confrontational on Wednesday, as party workers clashed with police while marching towards the Commission’s headquarters in Ranchi.
The BJP demanded that the 14th Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination be scrapped and conducted afresh, alleging serious lapses in the recruitment process.
The protest was spearheaded by BJP’s Jharkhand unit chief and Rajya Sabha MP Aditya Sahu, along with BJYM state president Shashank Raj. Thousands of BJP workers and civil services aspirants from across the state assembled at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium before beginning their march to the JPSC office.
Expecting possible unrest, the district administration deployed a heavy security presence around the Commission’s headquarters. Multiple barricades were erected, while Rapid Action Team personnel, senior police officials, water cannons and anti-riot units were stationed in the area.
As the protesters advanced, some attempted to force their way through the barricades, triggering a brief but intense scuffle with police. Security personnel managed to contain the situation after a period of pushing and jostling.
The protesters alleged that the entire examination process lacked transparency. They claimed the Commission announced the preliminary results without releasing cut-off marks, failed to provide candidates with access to their OMR answer sheets, and published a merit list that allegedly did not carry the signatures of the authorised officials.
BJP leaders also cited recent CID raids at the JPSC headquarters and the office of the agency that conducted the examination, along with the resignation of the Commission’s chairman, as indications of serious irregularities. They renewed their demand for the cancellation of the examination and called for a CBI investigation into the matter.
Addressing the gathering, BJP leaders accused the state government of putting the future of thousands of aspirants at risk. They alleged that recurring controversies surrounding recruitment examinations had severely undermined public confidence in the JPSC and warned of intensifying their agitation if corrective action was not taken.
The Jharkhand government, however, said it is treating complaints related to the examination seriously. It noted that the matter has already been referred to the CID for investigation and assured that strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty.
With inputs from IANS