Jharkhand Scraps JSSC-CGL and TDPL Exams as Protesting Students Break Fast; Demand for CBI Inquiry Persists

Four student leaders, including Devendra Nath Mahto, ended their 16-day hunger strike at Ranchi Sadar Hospital early Tuesday after the Jharkhand government cancelled all examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC-CGL) and TDPL.

State Ministers Deepika Pandey Singh and Irfan Ansari, alongside MLA Jairam Kumar Mahato, arrived at the hospital at 1:15 am to offer juice to the protesting youth—Devendra Nath Mahto, Umm-e-Habiba, Prem Nayak, and Kush Mahto—marking a formal suspension of their fast.

Despite the breakthrough, the JPSC-JSSC Reform Forum confirmed that agitation across the state will continue until the administration orders a central agency investigation into alleged recruitment irregularities.

Midnight Victories and Celebrations Amid Torrential Rain

News of the cabinet's decision triggered immediate celebrations among hundreds of aspirants gathered at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. Demonstrators embraced, distributed sweets, applied colours, and burst firecrackers in heavy downpours, framing the cancellation as a historic triumph after 24 straight days of street protests.

Speaking shortly after breaking his fast, student leader Devendra Nath Mahto expressed gratitude to the visiting delegation. He noted that the sustained, peaceful agitation forced the state administration to listen to job-seekers, while JLKM president Jairam Kumar Mahato termed the move unprecedented, pointing out that the JSSC-CGL process had already reached its final joining stage.

Special Cabinet Scraps Exam Results, Launches High-Level Inquiry

The decision to annul the examinations came during a special Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren in Ranchi on Monday evening.

Addressing the findings, the Chief Minister stated that parallel investigations by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the Crime Investigation Department (CID) uncovered startling facts regarding the JSSC-CGL conduct, including clear indications of agency collusion.

The Cabinet has ordered a comprehensive, retrospective enquiry into every recruitment examination conducted by the JPSC and JSSC since 2014. To overhaul the system, senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal will head a newly constituted committee tasked with framing structural reforms to ensure total transparency in future state employment drives.

Protesters Hold Firm on CBI Probe and Broader Civil Service Demands

While acknowledging the cancellation as a major victory, representatives from the JPSC-JSSC Reform Forum stressed that their movement remains active.

Forum spokesperson Ravindra Paswan clarified that while the government accepted their primary request regarding the JSSC-CGL and TDPL tests, the demand for an independent probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) remains unaddressed.

Student representative Piyush Kumar added that unresolved grievances concerning the 11th to 13th JPSC Civil Services Examinations are still under scrutiny by student bodies, who plan to review the official government notifications before mapping out their next phase of action.