In Ranchi, one of Jharkhand’s largest student-led movements in recent years has entered its 15th day. Job aspirants camping under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch say alleged paper leaks and irregularities in recruitment exams have shattered trust — and they are not standing down after another round of government talks failed to break the deadlock on Saturday.
The agitation, which began on July 25, centres on exams run by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). For thousands of young people who have spent years preparing for government jobs, the demand is simple and sharp: clean the system, or cancel the contested papers.
What students are demanding
Core demands from protesting aspirants include:
- Immediate cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination
- An independent probe — by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state
- Structural reforms to stop paper leaks and restore transparency in JPSC and JSSC exams
- Stronger action against networks alleged to have manipulated recruitment processes
Talks without a breakthrough
On Friday night, a government panel headed by Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu met a 10-member delegation of the Reforms Manch. Students described the dialogue as open — but not enough. They kept the hunger strike going and warned they would march to the Vidhan Sabha on August 10 if demands were not met by Sunday.
On Saturday, the government also held talks with another faction linked to JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on an indefinite fast at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. That meeting, too, ended without a settlement. Aspirants said assurances of a “quick decision” will not replace concrete action.
“Protest to continue until all demands, including cancellation of the 14th JPSC exam, are met.”
Government’s response so far
Ministers have called the students’ concerns genuine and said the state will keep meeting every faction. After Saturday’s discussions, the government released a dedicated feedback address — JPSSC.feedback@gmail.com — for suggestions on exam reforms, saying it wants a collective policy based on wider input.
For protesters, an email ID is a gesture, not a solution. Their message remains: cancel the disputed exam, open an independent investigation, and rebuild a recruitment system that candidates can trust.
Why the temperature is rising
Health concerns have already surfaced after hunger strikers needed medical attention. Political student groups have also joined the streets; ABVP workers were reported in a scuffle with police near the Chief Minister’s residence, with several detentions. Meanwhile, prohibitory orders around the Vidhan Sabha are in force ahead of the planned August 10 march.
At stake is more than one exam paper. It is whether Jharkhand’s recruitment system can convince a generation of aspirants that merit still wins. Until that trust returns — in writing, with action — Ranchi’s protest ground is unlikely to empty.
