RANCHI — Mounting anger over alleged paper leaks and exam irregularities has escalated into a major political challenge for Jharkhand’s ruling coalition, with student protesters demanding that Congress Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi withdraw support from Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s government.
Commemorating the 80th Independence Day with a massive ‘Tiranga Yatra’ from Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium to Albert Ekka Chowk, thousands of candidates under the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch banner intensified their 22-day agitation. The student body announced plans to burn effigies of both Chief Minister Soren and Rahul Gandhi across all 24 districts, followed by a planned encirclement (gherao) of the Chief Minister’s residence on August 20.
Demonstrators sharply criticized Congress leadership for offering verbal solidarity while remaining silent on concrete executive action. Protesters demanded the immediate scrapping of controversial JSSC-CGL and JPSC examinations, alongside an independent probe led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a judicial panel of retired judges.
The agitation has drawn strong backing from opposition leaders, with former Chief Minister Champai Soren publicly questioning why the state executive has hesitated to hand the investigation over to central agencies.
Addressing the state on Independence Day, Chief Minister Hemant Soren sought to ease tensions, acknowledging that recruitment issues had severely damaged student trust. While cautioning against premature accusations without hard evidence, the Chief Minister pledged structural overhauls, including a fixed annual exam calendar, technology-backed security measures, and multi-tier accountability.
