Jharkhand: Excise constable recruitment rescheduled from September 10 amid protests

Deepak

Ranchi, Sept 5: The Jharkhand government has rescheduled the physical test for excise department constable recruitment from September 10, following protests from the opposition after the death of 12 aspirants. The update was announced during a press conference by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) RK Mallik on Thursday.

“Physical tests for excise department constable recruitment have been rescheduled from September 10. No physical tests will be conducted at the Palamu centre,” Mallik said.

The ADGP added that all aspirants who were set to appear for the physical tests at the Palamu centre will be shifted to other nearby centers.

According to officials, an inquiry into the deaths of the aspirants revealed that the temperature and weather conditions in Palamu are currently unsuitable for physical tests.

Mallik also stated, “Earlier, 6,000 aspirants were appearing for the physical test in a single day. Now, only 3,000 aspirants will be allowed to appear per day.”

Those taking the test on the rescheduled date will still need to run 10 km within an hour to qualify for the recruitment drive.

Mallik further informed that approximately 5,14,000 aspirants had applied for the 558 positions in the excise department. A total of 4,00,000 aspirants have already taken the physical test.

On Monday, the Hemant Soren-led JMM government announced a three-day postponement of the physical test after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) labeled the deaths a “genocide” and demanded a CBI probe.

The chief minister had also announced on X that every aspirant would be provided with breakfast before the start of the physical test.

During the Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana event in Ranchi on Wednesday, Soren claimed that defective Covid-19 vaccine doses could be a possible reason for the deaths of the aspirants.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister and BJP’s Jharkhand election-in-charge Himanta Biswa Sarma has demanded Rs50 lakh in compensation for the families of the deceased and a job for one relative of each victim.