TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL), the company entrusted with conducting Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations on an end-to-end basis since at least 2025, had reportedly been blacklisted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) in 2024 for three years. Despite this, the company was awarded the JPSC examination contract without participating in a tender process and was instead directly nominated for the work, according to findings emerging from a Jharkhand Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe, as per a ThePrint report.
The investigation has also allegedly uncovered evidence suggesting that the answer key for the JPSC Preliminary Examination was shared with TDPL employees through WhatsApp more than a month before the results were scheduled to be announced.
Investigators suspect that the answer key may have been used to fill in answers on OMR sheets that candidates had originally left blank.
The CID investigation has further uncovered answer sheets belonging to candidates who appeared for the Forest Range Officer (FRO) examination at TDPL’s office in Ranchi. Investigators reportedly found that the company had possession of these answer sheets despite having no legitimate reason to retain them.
The JPSC conducted the FRO recruitment examination in January.
During questioning, a TDPL employee allegedly told investigators that the answer sheets had been sent to the company by its employees who were involved in conducting the examination.
The developments have emerged amid a wider investigation into alleged irregularities in the JPSC examination process.
TDPL Was Nominated Without A Tender
The CID probe was initiated following a recommendation from the Jharkhand Home Department amid mounting allegations concerning irregularities in the JPSC examination held on 19 April for recruitment to 103 Group A and Group B posts in the state civil services.
According to findings attributed to the CID investigation, the work order for conducting the examination was issued to TDPL through nomination rather than through a competitive tendering process.
JPSC Deputy Controller of Examinations Shweta Kumari Gupta reportedly told investigators during questioning that the examination contract had been awarded to TDPL after approval was obtained on the relevant file through the nomination process.
The CID is also investigating whether any background verification of TDPL was carried out before the company was given responsibility for conducting the sensitive examinations.
The investigation reportedly found that TDPL had previously been blacklisted by the JSSC for three years in 2024 for alleged misconduct and failure to comply with the terms and conditions of a tender related to the Combined Graduate Level examination held in September 2024.
Investigators also questioned Gupta about whether the authorities were aware that the company’s directors had previously been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force in connection with alleged irregularities in an entrance examination.
According to the CID findings, no background verification of the company had been carried out at Gupta’s level before the contract was awarded.
Answer Key Allegedly Shared Over WhatsApp
One of the most serious findings in the investigation concerns the alleged circulation of the JPSC Preliminary Examination answer key.
CID investigators reportedly discovered that the answer key had been shared through WhatsApp with employees of TDPL more than a month before the examination results were scheduled to be declared.
Investigators suspect that the key may subsequently have been used to fill answers on OMR sheets that candidates had left blank.
The CID is examining whether the alleged access to the answer key and the handling of candidates’ OMR sheets were connected to the wider examination irregularities.
The discovery of answer sheets from the FRO examination at TDPL’s Ranchi office has added to the concerns.
According to the investigation, TDPL had no legitimate reason to possess those answer sheets after the examination. A company employee allegedly told the CID that the documents had been sent to the office by TDPL employees involved in conducting the examination.
Multiple Examinations Under Scrutiny
The JPSC conducts more than half a dozen competitive examinations for recruitment to various government posts.
These include examinations for Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Food Safety Officer (FSO), Child Development Project Officer (CDPO), Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) and Forest Range Officer, among others.
TDPL had reportedly been entrusted with the end-to-end responsibility for conducting JPSC examinations since at least 2025.
The CID has raised concerns over the extent of control given to the company over the examination process.
According to the investigation, TDPL was responsible for all processes connected with conducting the examinations, leaving little or no independent check-and-balance mechanism over its operations.
A CID officer reportedly described the arrangement as requiring serious investigation, particularly given the company’s previous blacklisting and the allegations that have now emerged during the probe.
19 Arrested So Far
Following the CID’s findings, an FIR was registered on 22 July in connection with the alleged examination irregularities.
JPSC Deputy Controller of Examinations Shweta Kumari Gupta and 18 others have been arrested so far in the case.
The CID has also questioned former JPSC chairperson L. Khiangte as part of the investigation. One of his employees was arrested on Wednesday.
The agency is examining the process through which TDPL was selected, the absence of a tendering process, the company’s previous blacklisting, its directors’ alleged past involvement in an examination-related case, and the company’s access to sensitive examination material.
A Deputy Superintendent of Police-level officer reportedly submitted a report to CID chief Manoj Kaushik highlighting concerns over the decision to award the examination contract to TDPL through nomination.
The report reportedly noted that awarding responsibility for sensitive examinations to a company with such a background, without following the established rules applicable to JPSC examinations, raised suspicions and warranted further investigation.
The CID is now examining whether the alleged procedural violations in appointing TDPL and the alleged mishandling of answer keys and answer sheets were part of a larger examination malpractice network.
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