Jharkhand Government Cancels JSSC-CGL and TDPL Exams Following Student Protests

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination and all recruitment tests conducted by the private agency TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL) since 2014. The decision followed a four hour emergency Cabinet meeting and came 24 days after students began protesting alleged irregularities in the state's recruitment exams. As a result of the announcement, student leader Devendra Nath Mahato ended a 16 day hunger strike at Sadar Hospital in Ranchi in the presence of state ministers Dipika Pandey Singh and Irfan Ansari.

Chief Minister Soren stated that ongoing investigations by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the Crime Investigation Department (CID) revealed shocking facts regarding a complex network of companies. He directed the CID to probe all recruitment examinations conducted in the state since 2014. To prevent future malpractices, the government established a reform committee led by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal and launched a portal for students, teachers, and parents to submit suggestions for examination reforms.

While many protesters celebrated the decision, some student leaders, including Ravindra Paswan of the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch, stated that the agitation would continue because the government has not yet agreed to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Opposition leader Babulal Marandi supported the demand for a CBI inquiry, questioning why the government would fear such a probe if the process was fair. Conversely, Minister Dipika Pandey Singh described the demand for a CBI probe as stubbornness, citing the agency's alleged failure to deliver results in previous paper leak cases.

The decision sparked counter protests from candidates who had already cleared the JSSC-CGL exam and secured government positions. These individuals gathered at Project Bhawan and the Cabinet Secretariat, arguing that they should not be penalized for irregularities they did not commit and stating that the cancellation creates uncertainty about their futures.

External supporters, including activist Sonam Wangchuk and CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, congratulated the students, describing the outcome as a victory for student activism. Meanwhile, the CID continues to conduct raids and arrests, including the detention of former JPSC chairman L. Khiangte and other TDPL executives.