Court Orders Relaxation of Age Limit and Modulated Fitness Tests for Pending Candidates
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of India has directed the State of Jharkhand to revisit the recruitment process for constables under Advertisement No. 04/2015, which has left numerous vacancies unfilled. The judgment, delivered on June 3, 2026, by a bench comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Augustine George Masih, mandates the State to consider candidates who had cleared all stages of the initial recruitment process but were not recommended due to unfilled vacancies.
The petitioners, led by Jitendra Kumar Sharma, had initially approached the High Court of Jharkhand, seeking appointments based on their qualifications from the 2015 recruitment drive. Despite clearing the preliminary and mains examinations, along with physical and medical tests, their names did not appear in the final merit list published in 2017. The petitioners contended that vacancies persisted due to a lack of adequate female and Home Guard candidates, demanding consideration under the Jharkhand State Police Recruitment Rules, 2014.
The Supreme Court's order comes after extensive proceedings and interim measures, including halting the finalization of a subsequent recruitment process initiated in December 2023. The Court noted that as of May 27, 2026, there were 2,380 vacant constable posts, with 1,212 open to all genders, and directed the State to accommodate the pending 888 candidates from the 2015 advertisement.
Key directives from the Supreme Court include relaxing the maximum age limit for candidates, conducting fresh medical and fitness tests with parameters adjusted to account for the candidates' current age, and issuing appointment letters to those deemed fit. These candidates will be placed at the end of the existing seniority list, with their inter-se seniority determined by the original merit list.
This decision highlights the Court's commitment to ensuring justice and fairness in recruitment processes, especially when administrative hurdles leave qualified candidates in limbo for extended periods. The State is required to submit a compliance report by July 13, 2026, with the matter scheduled for further hearing on July 15, 2026.
Statutory provision(s): Jharkhand State Police Recruitment Rules, 2014
Jitendra Kumar Sharma v. State of Jharkhand, (SC) : Law Finder Doc id # 2919082
