Jharkhand exam protest has entered 13th day with six demonstrators on hunger strikeCheck the details here.
Published: August 6, 2026, 11:28 AM IST
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Jharkhand exam irregularities protest enters 13th day with six on fast(Photo Credit: X@PTI)
Several students and aspirants are continuously protesting in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) recruitment examinationsThe student protest in Jharkhand has entered its 13th day on ThursdayThe demonstration, being conducted at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, has continued to gather momentum as representatives of multiple student groups reached the protest site in the morning to express solidarity with the agitating aspirants and back their demands for reforms in the recruitment process.
Why are Jharkhand students protesting?
Meanwhile, the agitating students on Thursday announced a “Vidhan Sabha Gherao” on August 10 if their demands are not metThe latest development comes as the Monsoon Session of the Jharkhand Assembly is set to commence on Thursday, with the examination row expected to remain a key political issueProtester Radhe Kumar said the decision to gherao the Assembly was taken after the government initiated contact with the agitating students.
Speaking to the news agency ANI, Student leader Radhe Kumar said, “The Vidhan Sabha gherao is scheduled for the 10thGovernment officials, including the SDO, recently visited us, and we have conveyed our demands to themIf these demands are not met, we will lay siege to the Vidhan Sabha on the 10th with a massive turnout of hundreds of thousands of peopleThe purpose of this gherao is to press for the students’ demandsWe are demanding the cancellation of the JPSC, SSC, and CGL examinationsFurthermore, all examinations conducted by the TDPL company under the current government should also be cancelled.”
What are the key demands of the protesting students?
He added, “We are also demanding that all examinations linked to Abhay Tiwari be cancelledIn addition, we are demanding CBI and ED investigations into the matterAfter these examinations are cancelled, reforms must be introduced in the JPSC, SSC, and CGL recruitment processesIt has been 26 years since Jharkhand was formed, and throughout this period, students have consistently faced injusticeWhenever we have raised our voices through protests, our movements have been suppressedHowever, this movement will not be suppressed in 2026 because students are now determined to continue their struggle…”
#WATCH | Ranchi | Student leader Radhe Kumar says, “The Vidhan Sabha gherao is scheduled for the 10thGovernment officials, including the SDO, recently visited us, and we have conveyed our demands to themIf these demands are not met, we will lay siege to the Vidhan Sabha on… pic.twitter.com/wed6S2IWXQ
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2026
For the past two weeks, the movement, led primarily by JPSC aspirants, has escalatedDespite continuous overnight rainfall, the protesters remained at the venue, refusing to call off the agitation and reiterating that they would continue their protest until their demands were addressed by the government.
#WATCH | Ranchi | Student leader Radhe Kumar says, “…Five members of our core team will attend the meetingWe will present our demands to the government through the SDO, who will convey them to the appropriate authoritiesOnce the government responds to our demands, we will… pic.twitter.com/njJLD0b72Q
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2026
Alleging that students had faced injustice since the formation of Jharkhand, Kumar said the ongoing agitation would continue until the demands were addressed“It has been 26 years since Jharkhand was created, and throughout these 26 years, students have been suppressed and crushedTime and again we have launched protests, and time and again efforts were made to crush our movementBut this time in 2026, this movement will not be suppressed,” he said.
State Minister Radhakrishna Kishore howver claimed that the State government was ready to discuss all issues with student and a team of ministers had been formed for this“A team of Cabinet ministers has been formed to hold discussions with themThe team will listen to the students’ concerns and act as a bridge between the government and the studentsThe message is clear: the government is committed to the welfare of the state’s youth and students, and to ensuring that they receive justiceI would also like to appeal to the students to begin talks with the government as soon as possibleThe government has already conveyed that it is always ready for dialogue,” he said”Regarding the irregularities in appointments conducted through the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and other recruitment agencies, as well as the irregularities in the overall recruitment process, the state government, under the leadership of CM Hemant Soren, is committed to taking action with great sensitivity.
What are the latest updates on the Jharkhand exam irregularities protest?
Five protesters, including two women, joined Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for the past four daysMahto’s health became a matter of concern after his blood sugar and pressure levels dropped significantlySocial activist Sonam Wangchuk, who recently observed a 26-day hunger strike in Delhi over the NEET paper leak issue, spoke to Mahto over the phone and urged him to at least drink water to safeguard his health.
Following Wangchuk’s appeal, Mahto agreed to end his complete fast by drinking water while continuing his indefinite protestIn view of student unions’ proposed assembly gherao on August 7 and 10, a prohibitory order has been promulgated within a 750-metre radius of the assembly from August 6 to 12, between 6 am and 10 pm.
(With agencies inputs)
