Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto joined a protest march toward the Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha in Ranchi on Monday to demand exam reforms [1].
The demonstration signals escalating tensions between the state government and civil service aspirants who allege systemic corruption in the recruitment process. The protesters are calling for the cancellation of JPSC and JSSC exams, and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into alleged paper leaks [4].
Mahto, a JPSC/JSSC aspirant, arrived at the scene in an ambulance after undergoing a hunger strike [1]. He continued the march toward the state Legislative Assembly on a stretcher to lead the crowd [3].
"Despite being on a hunger strike, I have come here," Mahto said. "They won't be able to stop us. I reached here in an ambulance and I am going ahead on a stretcher" [1].
The unrest has already impacted the administration of the exams. Three JPSC members resigned before the march began [5]. The protest has drawn large numbers of students to the streets of Ranchi, creating a significant security presence near the state assembly [2].
Chief Minister Hemant Soren responded to the escalating situation as protesters attempted to gherao the assembly.
"We will look into the protesters’ demands with utmost seriousness," Soren said [2].
The students maintain that only a federal investigation can ensure transparency in the selection process. They argue that previous state-led efforts have failed to address the scale of the alleged leaks [4].
“"They won't be able to stop us."”
The resignation of three JPSC members combined with the high-profile hunger strike of Devendra Nath Mahto suggests a crisis of legitimacy for Jharkhand's state recruitment bodies. By demanding a CBI inquiry rather than a state probe, students are explicitly rejecting the oversight of the current administration, placing significant political pressure on Chief Minister Hemant Soren to concede to federal intervention to restore public trust.
