Jharkhand cancels JSSC-CGL exam, students say protest will continue as demand for CBI probe not met

Jharkhand cancels JSSC-CGL exam results amid ongoing student protests

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday cancelled the results of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission's Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination, 24 days after students began protesting alleged irregularities in competitive exams for government jobs. The decision came as student leader Ravindra Paswan, who has been at the forefront of the protests in Ranchi, acknowledged the cancellation of 22 examinations as a "big victory" for students and youth, but made clear that the agitation would continue.

Government action and scope of cancellation

Soren announced the cancellation of all examinations conducted since 2014 by TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL), a blacklisted agency. This includes results and any candidates selected through those examinations. The state Cabinet also decided to cancel the JSSC-CGL examinations, according to reports.

The chief minister ordered a comprehensive inquiry into alleged irregularities in examinations conducted from 2014 to the present, with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) set to probe all of them. In an official statement, Soren said the decision was taken as the facts were "shocking" and that standard operating procedures had not been followed.

Soren also said the government would carry out examination reforms with full transparency and strengthen existing SOPs. An IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal heads a committee constituted for education reforms, and a portal for public suggestions on exam reforms has been announced.

The students' three demands

Ravindra Paswan, the student leader, said the movement was driven by three key demands: "cancel, investigate and reform." He said most of these demands had been considered by the government following sustained pressure from students.

However, Paswan emphasised that the protest would continue as the demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged irregularities had not been met. He was quoted as saying, "We have won a major battle, but there is still more to be done."

Paswan credited students and youth across Jharkhand for the outcome, saying they protested with discipline. "I want to give credit for the cancellation of the exams to all the students and youth of Jharkhand. You people protested with discipline and put forth your demands," he said.

Background of the protest and timeline

The protests in Jharkhand began on July 25, inspired by the nationwide agitation against the alleged mismanagement of competitive exam. Protester have been holding a sit-in at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. On August 9, the government agreed to cancel three examinations, including the preliminary exam of the 14th state Public Service Commission Combined Civil Services, on the protesters' demand.

The government had earlier refused to cancel the graduate-level exam, citing monitoring by the Supreme Court and the Jharkhand High Court, and instead proposed a high-level judicial inquiry headed by a retired judge. Soren's Monday announcement overrode that position.

The JSSC-CGL exam was notified in 2023, initially scheduled for January 2024, but was cancelled due to a paper leak and later held in September 2024. Around 1,975 candidates had been appointed through this process. Approximately 6.4 lakh candidates had applied for the regular and backlog examinations.

Political reactions and hunger strike ends

Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha leader Devendra Nath Mahto ended his 16-day hunger strike following the announcement, as reported by ANI.

Meanwhile, the cancellation was met with protest from candidates who had qualified for the now-cancelled exam. A group of them gathered outside the state secretariat, arguing they should not be made to suffer for irregularities they were not responsible for, as reported by The Indian Express.

Student leader Paswan's remarks came on the 26th day of the protest, in which he said the government had to accept the demands due to sustained pressure. At the same time, his assertion that the movement would continue signals that the immediate hurdle of the exam cancellation, while significant, may not mark the end of the agitation as long as the CBI probe demand is not met.

Perspectives

The government, through Chief Minister Hemant Soren, frames the cancellation as a response to widespread irregularities in exams conducted by a blacklisted agency, emphasizing an inquiry and reforms. Student leader Ravindra Paswan sees the cancellation as a "big victory" and credits the sustained protests as the driving factor, while insisting the movement is not over. He also acknowledges the government's consideration of most of the demands. The qualified candidates, meanwhile, express concern that they should not be penalised for irregularities they are not responsible for, arguing against the cancellation's impact on them.