2026:JHHC:1640 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI WP(S) No.649 of 2023 ----- Lakhan Mahto, aged about 27 years, son of Budheshwar Mahto, resident of Ghaghra, P.O.-Donolo, P.S.-Bagodar, District-Giridih, (Jharkhand) … Petitioner(s). Versus 1. State of Jharkhand through the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S.Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 2. Secretary, Personnel, Administrative Reforms & Rajbhasha Department Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S. Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 3. Jharkhand Public Service Commission through its Secretary, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. - Lalpur, District - Ranchi. 4. Controller of Examination, Jharkhand Public Service Commission, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. Lalpur, District - Ranchi. … Respondent(s). With WP(S) No.651 of 2023 ----- Tanmay Kumar, aged about 25 years, son of Rohit Kumar Mahato, resident of Village-Patharchur, P.O.-Babupur, P.S.- Kundahit, District-Jamtara (Jharkhand) … Petitioner(s). Versus 1. State of Jharkhand through the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S.Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 2. Secretary, Personnel, Administrative Reforms & Rajbhasha Department Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S. - Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 3. Jharkhand Public Service Commission through its Secretary, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. - Lalpur, District - Ranchi. 4. Controller of Examination, Jharkhand Public Service Commission, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. Lalpur, District - Ranchi. … Respondent(s). With WP(S) No.652 of 2023 ----- Yogendra Kumar, aged about 24 years, son of Murli Mahto, resident of Village-Guruchatti, near Police Station, P.O. & P.S. Barkagaon, District-Hazaribagh, (Jharkhand) … Petitioner(s). Versus 2026:JHHC:1640 2 1. State of Jharkhand through the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S.Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 2. Secretary, Personnel, Administrative Reforms & Rajbhasha Department Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S. Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 3. Jharkhand Public Service Commission through its Secretary, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. Lalpur, District - Ranchi. 4. Controller of Examination, Jharkhand Public Service Commission, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. Lalpur, District - Ranchi. … Respondent(s). With WP(S) No.653 of 2023 ----- Anup Kumar Kamti, aged about 27 years, son of Upendra Kamti, resident of Village-Hathiyara, P.O.-Rohini, P.S.-Jasidih, District- Deoghar (Jharkhand) … Petitioner(s). Versus 1. State of Jharkhand through the Chief Secretary,Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S.Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 2. Secretary, Personnel, Administrative Reforms & Rajbhasha Department Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S. - Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 3. Jharkhand Public Service Commission through its Secretary, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. - Lalpur, District - Ranchi. 4. Controller of Examination, Jharkhand Public Service Commission, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. Lalpur, District - Ranchi. … Respondent(s). With WP(S) No.663 of 2023 ----- Sanjay Kumar, aged about 25 years, son of Tilanath Mahto, resident of 91, Village-Mahtikra, Barkagaon, P.O. & P.S.- Barkagaon, District-Hazaribagh, (Jharkhand) … Petitioner(s). Versus 1. State of Jharkhand through the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S.Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 2. Secretary, Personnel, Administrative Reforms & Rajbhasha Department Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S. - Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 2026:JHHC:1640 3 3. Jharkhand Public Service Commission through its Secretary, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. - Lalpur, District - Ranchi. 4. Controller of Examination, Jharkhand Public Service Commission, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. Lalpur, District - Ranchi. … Respondent(s). With WP(S) No.691 of 2023 ----- Sangeeta Kumari, aged about 34 years, wife of Binod Kumar Modi, resident of C/o Sri Bhandari Modi, near Shiv Mandir, Village-Chandwara, P.O. & P.S.-Chandwara, District-Koderma (Jharkhand) … Petitioner(s). Versus 1. State of Jharkhand through the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S.Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 2. Secretary, Personnel, Administrative Reforms & Rajbhasha Department Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S. - Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 3. Jharkhand Public Service Commission through its Secretary, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. - Lalpur, District - Ranchi. 4. Controller of Examination, Jharkhand Public Service Commission, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. - Lalpur, District - Ranchi. … Respondent(s). With WP(S) No.692 of 2023 ----- Priti Kumari, aged about 26 years, daughter of Prem Chandravanshi, resident of Village-Karni, P.O.-Karni, P.S.-Itkhori, District-Chatra, (Jharkhand) … Petitioner(s). Versus 1. State of Jharkhand through the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S. Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 2. Secretary, Personnel, Administrative Reforms & Rajbhasha Department Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S. Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 3. Jharkhand Public Service Commission through its Secretary, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. - Lalpur, District - Ranchi. 4. Controller of Examination, Jharkhand Public Service Commission, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. - Lalpur, District - Ranchi. … Respondent(s). 2026:JHHC:1640 4 With WP(S) No.731 of 2023 ----- Vipin Kumar Bhaskar, aged about 28 years, son of Chackradhar Mahto, resident of Village-Kandtari, P.O.-Sandh, P.S.- Barkagaon, District-Hazaribagh, (Jharkhand) … Petitioner(s). Versus 1. State of Jharkhand through the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S.Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 2. Secretary, Personnel, Administrative Reforms & Rajbhasha Department Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S. - Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 3. Jharkhand Public Service Commission through its Secretary, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. - Lalpur, District - Ranchi. 4. Controller of Examination, Jharkhand Public Service Commission, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. - Lalpur, District - Ranchi. … Respondent(s). With WP(S) No.1256 of 2023 ----- Kalyani Kumari, aged about 25 years, daughter of Indradeo Kumar, resident of Village-Korrah, P.O.-Korrah, P.S.-Muffasil, District-Hazaribagh, (Jharkhand) … Petitioner(s). Versus 1. State of Jharkhand through the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S.Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 2. Secretary, Personnel, Administrative Reforms & Rajbhasha Department Government of Jharkhand, having office at Project Building, Dhurwa, P.O. Dhurwa, P.S. Jagarnathpur, District - Ranchi. 3. Jharkhand Public Service Commission through its Secretary, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. - Lalpur, District - Ranchi. 4. Controller of Examination, Jharkhand Public Service Commission, having office at Circular Road, P.O. & P.S. Lalpur, District - Ranchi. … Respondent(s). CORAM : SRI ANANDA SEN, J. ------ For the Petitioner(s) : Mr. Amritansh Vats, Advocate Mr. Shivam Anand Pathak, Advocate Mr. Arpan Manjash Ekka, Advocate Mr. Amartya Choubey, Advocate Mr. Ashish Choudhary, Advocate 2026:JHHC:1640 5 For the State : AC to AG For the JPSC : Mr. Sanjoy Piprawall, Advocate Mr. Rakesh Ranjan, Advocate Mr. Prince Kumar, Advocate …...... 13 /20.01.2026: Heard the learned counsel representing the petitioners and the learned counsel representing the State. 2. Petitioners had appeared in the Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Competitive Examination-2021, pursuant to the Advertisement No.01 of 2021. 3. In all these cases the candidature of the petitioners were rejected on the ground that they have not uploaded the non-creamy layer caste certificate which was necessary. Though they have produced the same at the time of verification of the records, that too, after the last date fixed for filing the application. Further those caste certificates showing non-creamy layer were issued after the last date which was fixed for filling up of the forms. 4. What would be the consequence if caste certificate/ non- creamy layer certificate is not uploaded or produced after the last date was subject matter of the Full Bench of this Court in the case of “Dr. Nutan Indwar @ Nutan Indwar vs. State of Jharkhand and Others” with analogous cases in LPA No. 64 of 2020. 5. The Full Bench had clearly held that the certificates which is necessary to be produced, should be issued prior to the last day of application and that should be the part of the application. Any certificate issued beyond the last date of application cannot be considered. In that case the candidates should be treated to be in general category. It has been held that the cut-off date in the advertisement should be followed and if there is absence of any cut-off date, as per the advertisement, last date of submitting the form should be the cut-off date. In this case admittedly on the last date which was fixed by the advertisement the petitioner did not possess the requisite certificates in the prescribed format. 6. Further the Full Bench judgment also deals with the necessity of filing the application in the format which has been 2026:JHHC:1640 6 prescribed by taking into consideration the several judgments of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Thus, this is covered by the LPA No. 64 of 2020 titled “Dr. Nutan Indwar @ Nutan Indwar vs. State of Jharkhand and Others” with analogous cases. 7. Thus, in view of the judgment of the Full Bench none of the petitioners can be considered in the reserved category rather the respondents have correctly considered them in the unreserved category. 8. Thus, no relief can be granted to the petitioners. 9. These writ petitions are dismissed. (ANANDA SEN, J.) 20.01.2026 Tanuj/CP-2 Uploaded on 24.01.2026