Key facts
- Dozens of students and job aspirants are on a hunger strike in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
- Protesters allege that leaked answer sheets and manipulated results occurred in a recent civil service examination.
- The demonstrators are demanding the exam be scrapped and held again, with a CBI investigation.
- The Jharkhand Public Service Commission has postponed the next stage of the examination.
- The commission's chairman, L Khiangte, resigned and is being questioned.
- The state's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is investigating the allegations.
Dozens of students and job aspirants are on a hunger strike in Ranchi, Jharkhand, demanding an overhaul of the state's government examination system. The protest, which began on July 25, follows widespread demonstrations in Delhi over examination paper leaks.
Protesters allege that leaked answer sheets and manipulated results in a preliminary civil service examination held in April have compromised the integrity of the process. They are demanding the exam be scrapped and held again, with an investigation by India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The Jharkhand Public Service Commission has postponed the next stage of the examination, and its chairman, L Khiangte, resigned on July 22 and has been questioned. The state's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is investigating the allegations, with a government minister urging protesters to allow the CID to complete its work.
Protesters, however, state their fight extends beyond this single exam, seeking a broader probe into alleged recruitment irregularities and timely completion of long-delayed hiring processes. For many in India, a government job represents a stable salary, social status, and a path to the middle class, making competition fierce and delays particularly frustrating.
The movement has garnered support from the opposition BJP and the ruling Congress party, as well as the youth group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which led similar protests in Delhi. Despite political backing, protest leaders emphasize that the movement remains student-led, with politicians asked to support without pushing party agendas.