Jharkhand Revises JPSC Age Criteria, Tackles Cyber and Narcotics Crimes

In a significant move, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced that the cut-off date for the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examination age eligibility has been revised from 2026 to 2022. This decision came in response to widespread demands from the state's youth and student organizations, who had been lobbying for a reconsideration since 2018.

During the assembly, widespread concerns over rising cybercrime and narcotics-related offenses were also addressed. Excise Minister Yogendra Prasad highlighted the government's ongoing efforts, noting over 1,400 cybercrime cases and substantial arrests across recent years. The state has also taken an active stance against narcotics, with wide-ranging actions such as the destruction of opium cultivation on over 27,000 acres.

Furthermore, the issue of manpower shortages in various departments prompted discussions on whether to increase the retirement age of government employees from 60 to 62 years. However, Finance Minister Radhakrishna Kishore emphasized that the current government priority is to foster employment opportunities for the educated unemployed, precluding any immediate changes to retirement age policies.