New Delhi, August 23, 2026: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday, August 24, a plea seeking an independent and time-bound Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Preliminary Competitive Examination.
The petition has been filed by social activist Harisharan Devgan through advocate Satyam Singh Rajput. According to reports, the matter is likely to be heard by a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.
Petition Seeks Independent CBI Investigation
The plea relates to the Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination-2025, also referred to as the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination, which was conducted on April 19, 2026.
The petitioner has sought an independent, impartial, comprehensive and time-bound investigation into allegations concerning the conduct, evaluation and results of the examination. The plea reportedly seeks the transfer of the investigation from the state CID to the CBI, arguing that the nature and scale of the allegations require an independent investigation.
Allegations Over OMR Sheets and Evaluation
The controversy intensified after the preliminary examination results were declared on July 2. The petition reportedly refers to concerns surrounding an OMR answer-sheet copy that circulated publicly, raising questions about the evaluation process.
According to the plea, a candidate was allegedly declared qualified despite reportedly attempting only 48 out of 100 questions in Paper I. These claims form part of the allegations before the court and have not yet been adjudicated by the Supreme Court.
Demand to Preserve Examination Records
A key part of the petition is the request for the preservation of physical and electronic evidence connected with the examination.
The plea reportedly seeks directions to secure materials including:
- Original OMR answer sheets
- Candidates’ carbon copies
- Question papers and answer keys
- Attendance records
- Biometric information
- CCTV footage
- Examination-centre records
- Scanning and evaluation data
- Server and result-generation logs
The petitioner has argued that preserving this material is necessary to ensure that evidence remains available for an independent investigation and is not lost or altered.
Calls for Fresh Examination
Besides seeking a CBI probe, the petition reportedly seeks the cancellation of the disputed preliminary examination and the conduct of a fresh test with stronger safeguards.
Reports also indicate that the plea has called for an independent committee, potentially involving retired judicial officials and specialists in areas such as forensic science, information technology, examination security, cybersecurity and OMR evaluation.
Jharkhand Recruitment Controversy Deepens
The Supreme Court hearing comes amid a wider controversy surrounding recruitment examinations in Jharkhand.
The Hemant Soren-led state government recently announced the cancellation of 22 recruitment examinations and ordered investigations into several others following allegations of irregularities and sustained protests by students and job aspirants. The state CID has been investigating allegations involving recruitment examinations, including claims relating to paper leaks, bribery and possible manipulation of OMR sheets.
However, the cancellations have also triggered legal challenges and uncertainty for candidates who had already cleared examinations or received appointments. The Jharkhand High Court has intervened in a related dispute involving appointments linked to earlier JPSC examinations.
What Happens on August 24?
The Supreme Court’s hearing on August 24 is expected to focus on whether the petition warrants judicial intervention and whether the court should issue directions concerning an independent investigation.
The court has not yet ruled on the merits of the allegations. Any decision regarding a CBI probe, cancellation of the examination or a fresh examination will depend on the proceedings before the court.
Conclusion
The plea before the Supreme Court has brought the controversy surrounding Jharkhand’s public recruitment examinations to the national stage. With allegations concerning examination integrity, OMR evaluation and the wider recruitment system, the August 24 hearing could become an important development in the ongoing JPSC examination row.
For thousands of aspirants and candidates affected by the controversy, the proceedings are likely to be closely watched as the demand for accountability and transparency in Jharkhand’s recruitment process continues.
