After more than a dozen aspirants died during physical endurance tests, the Jharkhand government has relaxed the physical requirements for excise constable recruitment.
The state has updated its recruitment guidelines, making it easier for candidates applying for positions in both the police and excise departments.
The decision was made during a cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, where 31 proposals were approved. The new rules apply to the recruitment of constables, excise constables, warders, and home guards, reducing the physical fitness standards.
Under the revised norms, male candidates must now complete a 1,600-meter run within six minutes, while female candidates have 10 minutes to complete the same distance. Previously, the requirement was a 10-kilometer run to be completed within an hour.
The changes come after a tragic recruitment drive in August and September 2024, where more than 13 candidates collapsed and died while attempting the 10-kilometer run. The recruitment process was suspended after 12 deaths were reported at seven different test centers.
Following these incidents, Chief Minister Hemant Soren ordered the resumption of the recruitment drive on September 10, 2024, with the new physical standards in place.
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Despite the adjustments, another candidate fainted during the test in Ranchi on September 14 and later passed away during treatment. Witnesses said he completed the run in 52 minutes but collapsed on the field before being taken to the hospital.
Jharkhand Police introduced additional health monitoring measures at test centers, but many candidates continued to faint, indicating that the safety precautions were still insufficient.
In other cabinet decisions, the government has approved an increase in the mineral cess and granted exemptions for postgraduate MBBS students.
Additionally, storms and heatwaves have now been classified as local disasters. Under this classification, families of victims who die due to these events will receive financial compensation as per Home Ministry guidelines. Assistance will also be provided for losses related to livestock, including milch animals, non-milch animals, and transport animals.
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