JPSC issues category-wise cut-offs after protests

Ranchi: The Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) on Thursday issued a 20-point clarification against allegations levelled by aspirants of the 7th to 10th combined civil services examination and released the category wise cut-off marks for selection in the preliminary test (PT) examination. The move comes within 24 hours of the commission’s chairman being summoned by governor Ramesh Bais over the issue on Wednesday.
The commission uploaded a five-page clarification, answering the 20 points raised by the protesters and a BJP delegation through three different petitions. The commission has said it had not declared the cut-off, following the practice of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
“Since UPSC declares cut-off during the declaration of final results, we were following suit but in the light of candidates being misled by ‘few with vested interest’, we are declaring the category wise cut-offs,” the statement reads.
According to the cut-off declared, 260 marks is the highest for unreserved (UNR) (male and female) while 180 is the lowest fixed for physically handicapped (PH) category for candidates with autism and multiple disabilities.
The cut off for ST-230, SC-238, EBC (Annexure-1) and BC (Annexure-II)-252 and economically weaker section (EWS) is fixed at 238 for both males and females. Further, under sports quota, UNR cut-off is fixed at 212, ST-210, SC-230, EBC (Annex I) -218, BC (Annex-II)-214 and for EWS, it has been fixed at 210.
Under the PH category, the cut-off for deaf and dumb candidates is 212 while for the blind, it is 220 and for those with locomotive issues, the cut-off has been at 246.
Explaining the case of roll no. 52077036 about whom the protesters argued that he was rejected despite securing 266 marks, the commission has said it was wrong on part of the protesters to argue when the cut-off marks were not declared. “Since we have declared the cut-off, it would be pertinent to mention that the candidate in question secured 240 marks and not 266, whereas in his/her category the cut off is 260,” the statement reads.
Clarifying the issue of candidates with consecutive roll nos being declared pass in examination centres of three districts, JPSC has admitted “unforeseen situations” at the examination hall in two districts—Lohardaga and Sahebganj. “Due to a large number of candidates, 3.7 lakh appearing for the 7th JPSC, some unforeseen circumstances, not related to malpractice, were reported at two places and an inquiry is going on. But for that secluded incident, it was not fair for the commission to hold back the entire results and the examination process. They have been declared qualified provisionally, pending further inquiry,” the commission said.
To allegation of selecting fewer candidates in the PH category, JPSC has said according to the thumb rule, 15 times the number of vacancies are selected in PT. “There are seven vacancies in the PH category and we have declared 107 candidates as qualified which is slightly more than 15 times the vacancy,” the commission clarified.
Responding to the clarifications issued by the commission, a JPSC aspirant, Praveen Kumar, said, “We plan to meet at the Bapu Vatika at Morhabadi ground on Friday to discuss the commission’s reply. We are also collecting more evidence related to irregularities. In one of the replies, JPSC has admitted that candidates with consecutive roll numbers have qualified from two centres. Such instances raise suspicions regarding irregularities. Prima facie I am not satisfied with the JPSC arguments to prove that the preliminary examination was fair.”
BJP MLA Navin Jaiswal, who was a part of the delegation meeting JPSC chairman Amitabh Choudhary on Tuesday evening, said he hasn’t gone through the JPSC statement. “Let me go through the contents first, then we can decide the further course of action,” he said.
(With inputs from Sanjay Sahay)