JPSC Exam Paper Leak: The Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) is facing intense scrutiny after candidates alleged serious irregularities in the recruitment process for the 14th Combined Civil Services Examination.
What began as questions over the preliminary examination results has now turned into a wider controversy involving allegations of OMR-sheet manipulation, irregularities in the selection process, the role of a private examination agency and possible links involving government officials.
Thousands of aspirants took to the streets on Monday demanding transparency and an independent investigation. The controversy has also led to arrests and the resignation of JPSC members, while several upcoming examinations have been postponed.
But what exactly is the JPSC controversy, and how did it begin?
What Is JPSC Scam?
The JPSC controversy centres on allegations of irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission.
Candidates have raised questions over the results of the 14th Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination, particularly over the merit list, cut-off marks and alleged discrepancies in OMR sheets.
The allegations have included claims of OMR-sheet manipulation, question-paper leaks, corruption and possible "cash-for-selection" practices. These remain allegations and are currently being investigated by the authorities.
The controversy intensified following the announcement of the preliminary examination results by the JPSC earlier this month. The exams were held for 103 vacancies, and the commission shortlisted 2,204 candidates for the main examination. This led to candidates raising concerns regarding various aspects of the result and the selection process.
Why Are Candidates Protesting?
One of the major demands of the protesting aspirants is the release of category-wise cut-off marks.
Candidates have also questioned the merit list released by the commission. Some aspirants alleged that the published list did not contain the signatures of the commission's constitutional members, raising questions about the procedure followed before the results were announced.
However, the biggest controversy emerged after alleged OMR sheets surfaced on social media.
One of the viral OMR sheets was allegedly linked to a candidate from another state, who reportedly attempted only about 48 questions in Paper I. Protesters claimed that the number of questions attempted would make it difficult for the candidate to reach the estimated qualifying marks, which is 144. Despite this, the candidate was allegedly declared qualified.
Similar allegations were later raised in connection with a backlog recruitment examination, where another candidate was alleged to have attempted only a limited number of questions but still appeared among the successful candidates.
These claims became a major reason for candidates demanding an independent investigation.
As protests intensified outside the JPSC office, pressure mounted on the state government to investigate the allegations.
The government subsequently directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the matter.
The investigation has since expanded beyond the examination results to include the role of officials, the private agency associated with the examination and earlier complaints of alleged irregularities.
TDPL-Abhay Tiwari Link
One of the breakthrough in the investigation was the arrest of Abhay Tiwari, alias Manoj Kumar Tiwari, a Block Supply Officer in Godda district.
According to investigators, Tiwari may have played an important role in the alleged recruitment racket.
What has attracted particular attention is his alleged connection with both the government and the private company associated with conducting the examination.
Investigators say Tiwari worked as a government official under the name Abhay while also serving as the marketing manager of TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL), a Lucknow-based agency associated with the examination process.
His alleged dual role has raised questions about a possible conflict of interest and how the examination arrangements were handled.
Tiwari had also cleared five examinations conducted by the JPSC and JSSC. Investigators are examining whether his previous selections are connected to the wider case.
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The role of TSR Data Processing Private Limited, or TDPL, has emerged as another important part of the investigation.
The agency had previously faced action from the JSSC over alleged non-compliance with the terms of its agreement and was blacklisted in May 2025.
However, the agency was reportedly given examination-related work again just a month later. TDPL had also faced blacklisting in Uttar Pradesh and other states.
This has prompted candidates and opposition parties to question why an agency with a record of regulatory action was allowed to handle an important recruitment examination in Jharkhand.
The CID is now examining the agency's role, along with the role of JPSC officials involved in the examination process. The latest controversy has emerged against the backdrop of a long history of disputes surrounding JPSC recruitment examinations.
Over the years, several recruitment processes conducted by the commission have faced allegations or legal disputes relating to revised results, additional merit lists, interview marks, reservation issues, answer-key errors, evaluation problems and delays.
Recruitment delays have also been a major concern among aspirants.
The Hemant Soren-led government in 2019 promised to speed up recruitment and clear the backlog of government vacancies. Several major examinations were subsequently conducted, including the 7th to 10th Combined Civil Services examinations and the later 11th to 13th recruitment process.
However, these recruitment exercises also faced protests, delays, evaluation-related concerns and litigation. The latest JPSC scam has also affected examinations that were yet to be conducted. The JPSC has postponed nine competitive examinations for around 500 posts, including the Combined Civil Services Main Examination, until further notice.
For thousands of aspirants, the postponement means additional uncertainty after months or even years of preparation.