Age Eligibility Debate Reignites for Jharkhand's 14th PSC Exam

In a significant policy shift, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren declared that the age eligibility cut-off for the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examination would be revised to 2022 from the previously set year of 2026. This change comes following widespread protests by student organizations demanding a cut-off date of 2018 for age eligibility.

The legislative assembly also saw heated discussions on the rising cases of cybercrime and narcotics trade within the state. Addressing these concerns, state minister Yogendra Prasad highlighted proactive measures leading to 1,413 cybercrime cases being registered and 1,268 arrests made in 2025. He also reported on substantial efforts to curb narcotics-related activities, including the destruction of opium cultivation over 27,015 acres and multiple arrests in 2024-2025.

The issue of manpower shortages was raised by Chatra legislator Janardan Paswan, who proposed increasing the retirement age of government employees to 62 from the current 60. However, state finance minister Radhakrishna Kishore emphasized the government's focus on creating employment opportunities for the youth rather than modifying retirement age limits.