A Jharkhand State Crime Investigation Department report on the 2024 Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC-CGL examination reportedly revealed that about 120 questions out of 150 were leaked before the test.
The report’s findings directly contradict official statements from the state government that dismissed the leak claims and let the examination take place after shelving the original police investigation.
The report has resurfaced now during the massive protests in Ranchi over corruption and demands for reforms in the tests.
The CID investigation released in March 2025 looked into the examination held on September 21 and 22 of 2024.
Investigators confirmed that 80 per cent of the exam questions were prepared just hours before the candidates were seated for the test.
An aspirant, Jeet Kumar, submitted evidence in a court petition which showed that the candidates received the answer key via WhatsApp before entering exam centres.
One piece of the evidence includes a photographed answer sheet stamped 7:23 am on September 22 in Bishnupur, Jamshedpur, hours before the scheduled examination timing.
The leak operated across state lines.
The September 21 and 22 exams were a re-examination conducted after the previous one was cancelled following charges of paper leaks.
Despite internet services being suspended across the state during the re-examination, the leaks continued.
The answers were even made available via landline phone and even dictated, according to an aspirant.
"We received the answers, not questions. After the exam, it was confirmed that the answers were correct. The report was also submitted to court," Jeet Kumar told NDTV.
After the CID submitted the report, the state government shelved it and formed a second SIT.
This time the allegations were dismissed, and no further progress was made in the investigation. The frustrations continued as a similar leak was reported during the JPSC exams. A massive protest was launched.
The student protests in Jharkhand are currently on their 16th day.
There have been several rounds of talks between the state government and the student representatives, all of which have yielded no solutions.
Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JKLM) leader Devendra Nath Mahato has been on a hunger strike for the last eight days in protest against the exam irregularities.
Minister Sudibya Kumar Sonu said that the state government has issued an e-mail to take suggestions from students and other concerned parties. He also said that they are committed to reaching a collective decision.
"Based on these suggestions, the government will try to formulate a reform policy and take collective decisions based on everyone's opinion. Based on the emails received, the government will take into account the concerns of students and other stakeholders," he said.
