Demonstrators in Ranchi, the capital of India’s eastern Jharkhand state, took to the streets Monday to escalate their ongoing campaign against irregularities in government recruitment examinations. The march toward the state Legislative Assembly building represents the latest phase of protests that began in late July, with participants citing concerns including leaked examination questions. Riot police responded by deploying water cannons and establishing barbed-wire barricades to contain the demonstration.
The protesters are calling for comprehensive reforms to the state’s testing procedures, cancellation of specific examinations, and a federal police investigation into the alleged misconduct. Among those demonstrating is student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who participated in Monday’s march while on an indefinite hunger strike that had lasted nine days. State authorities have taken some action, with three members of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission resigning and the government agreeing to cancel the 14th JPSC preliminary examination along with two backlog recruitment tests.
However, student groups have indicated they will maintain their protests until additional demands are met, including cancellation of the Combined Graduate Level examination and transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation. This movement mirrors recent youth-led activism in New Delhi, where widespread demonstrations over medical school entrance test leaks resulted in the resignation of India’s Education Minister two weeks earlier.
Originally reported by Aljazeera →
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