Student leader Devendra Nath Mahato said a long battle remains ahead despite the government's decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL exam [2].
The cancellation marks a partial victory for protesters but highlights deep-seated distrust in the state's competitive examination systems. Students are demanding total transparency and a federal investigation to ensure that systemic corruption is permanently removed from the recruitment process.
Mahato began an indefinite hunger strike on Aug. 2 [3] to protest alleged irregularities and malpractice in the JSSC-CGL, JPSC, and other competitive examinations. Protesters have gathered at the Jaipal campus and outside the Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha in Ranchi [4]. Thousands of students marched to the Vidhan Sabha to demand the cancellation of the exams and a Central Bureau of Investigation probe [1].
While the government has now canceled the JSSC-CGL exam, Mahato said the fight for broader accountability continues. He said action has been taken regarding the irregularities and malpractice that plagued the system—the very issues they fought against [5].
During the initial stages of the protest, Mahato said he would make the government come to its knees [3]. The current unrest stems from claims that malpractice has compromised the integrity of multiple state-level exams, leaving thousands of candidates fearing for their professional futures [4].
Mahato welcomed the recent decision to scrap the JSSC-CGL exam on Aug. 18 [2]. However, he said the cancellation of a single exam does not resolve the underlying issues of corruption within the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission and the Jharkhand Public Service Commission.
The movement continues to push for a CBI investigation to identify those responsible for the leaks and irregularities. Protesters argue that only an external agency can provide a fair and impartial audit of the state's examination machinery [1].
“Long battle still ahead”
The cancellation of the JSSC-CGL exam serves as a tactical concession by the Jharkhand government to ease immediate public pressure. However, by continuing the protest and demanding a CBI probe, Mahato is shifting the focus from a single flawed test to a demand for systemic institutional reform. The persistence of the hunger strike suggests that students will not accept administrative resets as a substitute for criminal accountability.
