Ranchi, August 19: Amid a 26-day-long protest by students over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in Jharkhand, the JMM-led state government has cancelled 22 tests and ordered an investigation into 23 others conducted since 2014 by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and an outsourced agency.

The decision has sparked panic among candidates who had successfully cleared the examinations and subsequently secured jobs in various government departments.

Among the examinations cancelled is the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission’s Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination, following which several successful candidates took to the streets in protest.

The government’s decision comes after weeks of demonstrations by students demanding action over alleged irregularities in the recruitment process. The probe will examine the circumstances surrounding the remaining 23 examinations, while the cancellation of the 22 tests is expected to have a significant impact on candidates and government recruitment.