Humidity, lack of health screening, change in rules some reasons behind 12 deaths at Jharkhand recruitment drive: Report

Other lapses like lake of basic health screening of the candidates and humidity could have also been a part of the reason. Additionally, the fact that several candidates had never practiced the 10 km run before that was now a qualifier for the test added to the increase in the death toll.

After twelve candidates died while undertaking physical tests during a drive to recruit excise constables in Jharkhand, questions over what might have gone wrong have emerged.

The root of the problem could be the change in the assessment rules in the 2016 amendment that required candidates to run 1.6 km in six minutes, The Indian Express quoted government sources as saying.

While the publication said that the reason for the change in the rules remained unclear, another factor that weighs in could be the change in order of assessment tests under which the physical tests were now held before the written one, increasing the number of competitors.

“The current government wants to create a buzz that recruitment is happening and more the number (of candidates), the better the optics,” IE quoted a source as saying.

However, Excise Department Secretary Manoj Kumar told the publication that there was "no point" in conducting written tests for all candidates since they preferred physical fitness over intelligence.

Meanwhile, other lapses like lake of basic health screening of the candidates and humidity could have also been a part of the reason. Additionally, the fact that several candidates had never practiced the 10-km run before, which was made a qualifier for the test, added to the increase in the death toll.

“My brother Pradeep Kumar died as he never practised for a 10 km run. The women were made to run until 9 am, and then the men were asked to, which went on till afternoon,” the publication quoted her as saying.

The candidates that completed their 10-km run within 60 minutes were supposed to take the written test, followed by a health checkup.

Now, the physical tests for the remaining part of Jharkhand excise constable recruitment drive will resume on September 10 with revised norms, a top police officer said on Thursday.

In response to health concerns, devices to monitor oxygen levels and blood pressure, as well as provisions for ORS and fruits will be available at each centre where the tests will be held, he added.

"The fresh drive for the remaining 1.14 lakh candidates will be held from September 10 to 13. It will be conducted across six centres in five districts, excluding Palamu, where five aspirants had died. Tests for approximately 42,000 candidates from Palamu will be held at other locations on September 19 and 20," Mallick said.

"To manage the process more effectively, only 3,000 candidates will be tested per day, and the exercise will conclude by 8 am. New admit cards for the revised tests will be uploaded on the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) website in the next two days," he said.

Mallick said 1.87 lakh candidates have participated in the running test so far, with 1.17 lakh passing it.

(With PTI inputs)