‘Government Will Have to Bow Down’, Jharkhand Students Intensify Exam Protests

Student agitation in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations intensified on Monday, with student leaders declaring that the state government "will have to bow down" as demands grow for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) tests.

The movement gained severe momentum as student leader Devendra Nath Mahto’s indefinite hunger strike entered its second day.

"The government will have to bow down because this is a fight for the students of the entire Jharkhand," Mahto told the news agency. "This movement represents the voice of millions of young people who pursue their dreams through education and hard work."

CID Crackdown: Statewide Raids Across 20+ Locations

While students took to the streets, the Jharkhand Crime Investigation Department (CID) launched a major statewide crackdown on Monday. Investigating alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination, multi-agency teams conducted simultaneous raids across more than 20 locations, targeting coaching institutes and premises linked to suspects in Ranchi (including Dhurwa and Namkum), Dhanbad, Bokaro, Deoghar, Godda, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, and Palamu.

During the raids, investigators seized critical documents, computers, laptops, mobile phones, and digital storage devices for forensic evaluation. The agency had previously raided offices of the JPSC and examination-conducting agency TDPL.

So far, 11 individuals associated with the Commission and the examination process have been arrested. Based on interrogation insights, investigators are widening the probe. Former JPSC Chairman and former Jharkhand Chief Secretary L. Khiangte, who has already been questioned multiple times, was summoned again on Monday as the agency pieces together evidence regarding question paper management and evaluation procedures.

Activists and National Groups Back Agitation

The anger is not confined to local campus corridors. Protesting students revealed they held discussions via video call with education activists Abhijeet Dipke and Ashutosh Ranka to detail the systemic paper leak issues plaguing Jharkhand's competitive exams.

Student representatives are demanding non-partisan backing. "The unfortunate reality is that politicians should stand with students and the youth," one protester noted, urging both ruling and opposition parties to unite behind an independent investigation.

The movement has also caught national attention. The Cockroach Janata Party, which previously led student protests over the NEET paper leak at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar officially extended its support to the agitation against JPSC, JSSC CGL, and other state exam discrepancies.