A large-scale protest by job-seeking students in India’s eastern state of Jharkhand has emerged as the country’s latest flashpoint over alleged irregularities in competitive recruitment examinations, drawing nationwide attention following the conclusion of a separate student movement in New Delhi.
Led by student activist Devendra Nath Mahato, hundreds of civil service aspirants have been staging a sit-in at Jaipal Singh Stadium in Ranchi since July 29, demanding the cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Civil Services Examination and an independent investigation into allegations of widespread examination fraud.
The protesters have accused authorities of serious irregularities, including question paper leaks and the alleged sale of government job positions for between Rs 5 million and Rs 10 million in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL).
The demonstrators are calling for the immediate cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination and an impartial inquiry led either by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or retired High Court judges from outside Jharkhand.
Student leaders said repeated appeals to the state government had failed to produce meaningful action, forcing some protesters to begin an indefinite hunger strike. Amid the growing unrest, the JPSC has postponed its scheduled main examination, which had been set to take place between July 25 and 27, until further notice.
The Ranchi protest follows a high-profile student movement at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where demonstrators rallied against alleged irregularities in the NEET medical entrance examination and demanded the resignation of India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. That protest has since concluded following developments related to its demands.
Unlike the Delhi movement, which was largely driven by recent higher secondary graduates seeking admission to medical colleges, the Jharkhand protest is being led primarily by older competitive examination candidates, many of whom are over 25 years of age and have spent years preparing for government recruitment examinations.
Responding to the protests, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren acknowledged that examination paper leaks had become a national concern. In a post on social media platform X, he said his government was treating the issue with the highest priority and confirmed that investigative agencies were actively pursuing those responsible.
Soren also invited a five-member delegation of student representatives to his official residence for discussions on their demands, assuring them that the government was committed to finding a swift and credible resolution.
Earlier, Ranchi Sub-Divisional Officer Kumar Rajat and Additional District Magistrate Dhananjay Kumar visited the protest site to formally convey the chief minister’s invitation to the demonstrators.
The outcome of the talks is expected to determine whether the protests continue, as thousands of aspirants await clarity over the future of one of Jharkhand’s most significant public recruitment examinations.
Source: NDTV