The Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) will soon boast a state-of-the-art three-storey building, construction for which is likely to begin next month.

Coming up on the existing 80,000sqft JPSC premises located between Jail More and Circular Road, the new building is likely to be ready in another 18-20 months.

The state building construction department has already floated a tender for the Rs 8.31-crore project.

"We floated the tender around a week ago. So far, two bidders have shown interest in the project. We will finalise the agency for the civil work on July 27. The selected agency will have to complete the work in 18 months," said P.K. Singh, the executive engineer (building construction).

Secretary (building construction) K.K. Soan said the department would ensure that the new building got ready as soon as possible. "We will start work in the first week of August without any fail," he added.

After the formation of Jharkhand in 2000, the old two-storey building, which was constructed way back in 1945, was handed over to JPSC - the agency that conducts examinations and interviews for recruitment of candidates to various state government posts.

Currently, around 40 JPSC employees are forced to work in five cramped rooms on the ground floor with old files and documents eating up half of the space while the JSPC chairperson, secretary and the controller of examinations use the first floor.

Executive engineer Singh said the proposed building, covering 44,000 sqft, would have separate chambers for the chairman, secretary, the controller of examinations chamber, the deputy controller of examinations and the administrative officer. These apart, there will be separate exam controlroom, evaluation room and computer rooms.

JPSC administrative officer Rameshwar Leogi welcomed the move, saying the new building would solve the space crunch.