Timeline
How a viral answer sheet became a march on the Vidhan Sabha. The anger was already there — question papers have leaked around Jharkhand's recruitment exams since at least 2003, the JSSC-CGL exam was cancelled and re-held and leaked again through 2024, and a CID report that found most of one paper's questions had leaked was shelved. What the 14th JPSC results showed in July 2026 gave it a spark.
Each entry links to the reporting it is drawn from, and to the related footage held in this archive. Where the people at the centre of these events spoke publicly - the Chief Minister, the Governor, the ministers, the Ranchi police, the student leaders - their words are quoted as the cited reporting carried them. Where an entry has no such quote, none was found.
JSSC cancels the Combined Graduate Level exam after leak allegations
The Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission's Combined Graduate Level exam, scheduled for 4 February 2024, was cancelled after allegations that general-knowledge questions had leaked. Aspirants mounted a social-media campaign demanding a new exam date, declaration of pending results, conduct of the Jharkhand police constable exam and a CBI investigation into the leak; candidates also held a protest in front of Ranchi's state library, with similar demonstrations in other districts.
Babulal Marandi — First Chief Minister of Jharkhand · On X · February 29, 2024 “In the last four years, the thugbandhan government of Jharkhand has only cheated and tricked the youth of the state in the name of providing them jobs.”
Posted on X reacting to the cancellation; the first sentence of a longer post reproduced in the cited report, dated to the report's publication date.
Careers360 — JSSC CGL Paper Leak: Students campaign for conduct of fair exams (opens in a new tab)
Paper-leak allegations disrupt a JPSC preliminary exam
A JPSC combined civil services preliminary examination was held on 17 March 2024 across Jharkhand. At the Chatra centre, candidates alleged the question paper's seal had been broken in the principal's office before the scheduled time; about a dozen aspirants in one examination hall created a disturbance while the remaining eight halls proceeded without disruption. At the Jamtara centre, aspirants alleged the General Studies paper had been opened before it reached the examination hall. District officials rejected the claims while saying the allegations would be investigated.
Arvind Kumar — Additional Collector and nodal officer for the examination, Chatra · Press statement · March 17, 2024 “The allegations of the paper leak were baseless.”
Denying candidates' claims that the question paper's seal had been broken before the exam at the Chatra centre.
Anant Kumar — Sub-Divisional Officer, Jamtara · Press statement · March 17, 2024 “There was no possibility of a paper leak but the allegations will be investigated.”
Responding to aspirants' claims that the General Studies paper had been opened before reaching the exam hall at the Jamtara centre.
The rescheduled JSSC-CGL exam is held — and leaks again
After the earlier sitting was cancelled over paper-leak charges, the JSSC held the Combined Graduate Level re-examination on 21 and 22 September 2024, with internet services suspended across the state during the exam. A CID report later found the leaks continued regardless: candidates received the answer key via WhatsApp, answers were made available by landline phone and dictated, and a photographed answer sheet was time-stamped 7:23 a.m. on 22 September, hours before the scheduled examination. About 640,000 candidates had applied for 2,025 posts; the JSSC subsequently shortlisted 2,231 candidates for document verification.
- The Week — 120 answers leaked in Jharkhand's JSSC 2024 exam via WhatsApp, shelved CID report says (opens in a new tab)
- India TV — JSSC-CGL paper was leaked in 2024 too; candidates paid Rs 12 lakh each (opens in a new tab)
- ThePrint — Why are Jharkhand students protesting JSSC-CGL? The paper leak allegations and court battle explained (opens in a new tab)
Mahto detained in CGL protests as the High Court halts results
As demonstrations over alleged JSSC-CGL irregularities continued in December 2024, police used a lathi-charge to disperse protesters and detained student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Ranchi as an independent and the Silli assembly seat on a Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) ticket. On 17 December 2024 the Jharkhand High Court directed the JSSC not to declare the exam's results until further orders and ordered the registration of FIRs on the petitioners' complaints. FIRs were lodged in January 2025, a Special Investigation Team was constituted in August 2025, and the CID filed chargesheets in June and September 2025.
The 14th JPSC preliminary exam is held
The Jharkhand Public Service Commission, which had advertised 103 posts in January 2026, held the 14th combined civil services preliminary examination on 19 April 2026; more than 36,000 students appeared across two sittings. The commission's exams had previously been hit by leak scandals in 2003 and 2012.
Results are published — and an answer sheet goes viral
The JPSC published results of the 14th preliminary examination, qualifying 2,204 candidates for the mains round out of more than 36,000 who appeared. Days later, a post circulated on social media showing that a successful candidate had qualified despite answering only 48 of 100 questions in the first paper. The exam had been conducted by IT firm TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL), and the viral answer sheet became the flashpoint for aspirant allegations that the recruitment process had been rigged.
Aspirants launch a sustained agitation in Ranchi
Exam aspirants launched an agitation in Ranchi over alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations, the start of weeks of continuous protest activity. According to a protest timeline recounted by student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, the agitation was launched on 5 July, a delegation met Jharkhand's Governor on 7 July, and protesters staged an effigy-burning demonstration on 8 July. A separate report described students of the JPSC-JSSC Aspirants Justice Forum as continuously struggling since 5 July after exposing irregularities in the 14th preliminary examination.
A student delegation submits evidence to the Chief Minister
Representatives of the protesting aspirants met the Chief Minister on 20 July and submitted evidence supporting their allegations of irregularities in the examinations, according to the protest timeline recounted by student leader Devendra Nath Mahto. The meeting followed earlier appeals to the Governor and preceded the indefinite sit-in launched at the end of the month.
CID registers a case; the JPSC chairman resigns; arrests begin
Jharkhand's Criminal Investigation Department registered a case on 22 July to probe alleged malpractice in the 14th JPSC civil services examination process, and JPSC chairperson L. Khiangte resigned the same day. Also that day, the CID arrested JPSC deputy controller of examinations Shweta Kumari Gupta and TDPL directors Ramvir Singh and Abhay Kumar Tiwari. TDPL, the IT firm entrusted with conducting the examination, had previously been blacklisted by the JSSC and had been engaged by the JPSC through a nomination-based process rather than a competitive tender.
The protest is formally launched under the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch banner
Aspirants launched an organized protest campaign from Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch. Subsequent press coverage counted the agitation's duration from this date, describing the protest as in its 13th day on 6 August and entering its 14th day on 7 August.
An indefinite sit-in begins at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium
The protest escalated into an indefinite sit-in at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi. Protesters raised slogans including "Order CBI probe in JPSC," "Long live Students Unity" and "Shame on Hemant Soren." The Hemant Soren-led government ordered a CID probe into the paper-leak allegations, but protesters said they were not satisfied and continued to demand a CBI investigation.
Rahul Kumar Kranti — Protesting aspirant · Interview · August 2, 2026 “We have completely lost faith in the ongoing CID probe.”
Responding to the state government's decision to order a CID probe rather than the CBI investigation protesters demanded.
A torch rally in Ranchi; Mahto begins an indefinite hunger strike
Students held a torch rally in Ranchi on 2 August, and student leader Devendra Nath Mahto began an indefinite hunger strike at the protest site the same day. Organisers said the crowd at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium sit-in swelled to thousands every evening as students arrived from all 24 districts of Jharkhand, while individuals in Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and other states sent food and money in support. Ranchi's administration refused protesters permission to erect a tent at the stadium despite monsoon rain.
- ThePrint — Echoes of Jantar Mantar: Jharkhand students rise against JPSC, JSSC paper leaks (opens in a new tab)
- ThePrint — Jharkhand students are protesting 'cycle of paper leaks' CJP-style (opens in a new tab)
- The Quint — Ranchi Protest: Devendra Nath Mahto Ends Hunger Strike After Wangchuk's Appeal (opens in a new tab)
Delhi's Cockroach Janta Party declares solidarity
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party — the Delhi movement whose protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak had emboldened Ranchi's aspirants — said in a post on X that he had spoken to the protesting students and that the CJP supported their demands. ThePrint reported the same day that the CID had arrested Suman Saurav, the candidate whose viral answer sheet sparked the allegations, along with 10 others including those believed to be the masterminds of the leak; the arrests were made the previous Thursday.
Abhijeet Dipke — Founder, Cockroach Janta Party · On X · August 3, 2026 “Spoke to the students who are protesting in Jharkhand over irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment exams. The CJP stands with all the students in Jharkhand and supports their demands”
Posted on X; quoted in The Week's 3 August report, which does not give the post's own date — dated here to the report.
Five more join the hunger strike; Wangchuk appeals to Mahto
Five additional protesters, including two women, joined Devendra Nath Mahto's hunger strike on 4 August, bringing the number of fasting aspirants to six. One of them, Rahul Kranti, on hunger strike since 4 August, was later taken away in an ambulance after his health deteriorated. On 5 August, activist Sonam Wangchuk appealed to Mahto over a live video call to protect his health; Mahto agreed to consume water and salt but maintained he would not eat until the government addressed the protesters' demands. The CID had arrested 14 people in the exam-irregularities probe as of 5 August.
Sonam Wangchuk — Education reform activist · Public address · August 5, 2026 “You have taken a big step by keeping your life at stake, but water and salt should be taken. Our purpose is to awaken the soul of the government, not to commit suicide.”
Made during a live video call urging Mahto to preserve his health; Mahto agreed to take water and salt but continued refusing food.
Soren breaks his silence: 'Our young people will certainly get justice'
Chief Minister Hemant Soren spoke publicly on the JPSC-JSSC protests for the first time on 4 August, speaking to reporters after a program in Ramgarh district's Nemra village marking the first death anniversary of Shibu Soren. He said the government was taking the students' allegations of examination irregularities very seriously and pledged that young people would get justice within the ambit of the Constitution and the law. The remarks came as the aspirants' agitation entered its 11th day.
Hemant Soren — Chief Minister of Jharkhand · Press statement · August 4, 2026 “This is a sensitive government that believes in delivering justice. Whenever we take up an issue, we remain committed to resolving it. Our young people will certainly get justice within the ambit of the Constitution and the law.”
To reporters after a program in Nemra village, Ramgarh district, marking the first death anniversary of Shibu Soren.
Prokerala (IANS) — Hemant Soren breaks silence on JPSC-JSSC row (opens in a new tab)
An 11-member delegation is formed as the Assembly's monsoon session opens
As the Jharkhand Assembly's monsoon session opened on 6 August, protesting aspirants at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium formed an 11-member delegation — eight students plus a journalist, a guardian and a legal expert — for talks with the state government, with the journalists and legal experts to act as mentors without participating in discussions. The protest was described as in its 13th day, counted from the 25 July launch, and 19 people had been arrested so far in the CID's investigation. A day earlier, an all-party meeting chaired by the Assembly Speaker had urged the government to open talks with the agitating students at the earliest.
The government agrees to cancel the 14th JPSC prelim — but not to a CBI probe
The Jharkhand government agreed to cancel the 14th JPSC preliminary examination along with the 2023 and 2025 backlog recruitment examinations, following talks between a ministerial panel led by Higher Education Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu and a delegation of student protest leaders. The government also agreed to an Enforcement Directorate probe into alleged financial irregularities, a CID inquiry into criminal aspects, and a fast-track court to ensure chargesheets are filed within 90 days, but declined the demands for a CBI probe and for cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, citing court supervision of the latter. A march to the Assembly remained planned for 10 August.
Sudivya Kumar Sonu — Jharkhand Higher Education Minister · Press statement · August 9, 2026 “The government has agreed to an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into alleged financial irregularities, a CID investigation into criminal aspects and the setting up of a fast-track court to ensure chargesheets are filed within 90 days.”
Announcing the government's concessions after talks with student protest leaders.
Free Press Journal — Jharkhand Govt Ready To Cancel JPSC Prelim Exam (opens in a new tab)
Sudivya Kumar Sonu — Jharkhand Higher Education Minister · Press statement · August 9, 2026 “We have witnessed firsthand the nature of CBI investigations in this state; the inquiries into the first and second JPSC examinations were conducted by the CBI. More than twenty years have passed since then.”
Explaining the government's reluctance to hand the probe to the CBI.
Ravindra Paswan — Student protest leader · Interview · August 9, 2026 “Most of our demands have been accepted, including cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination. But we will not compromise on the demand for a CBI probe.”
Responding to the government's announced concessions ahead of the planned 10 August march.
Free Press Journal — Jharkhand Govt Ready To Cancel JPSC Prelim Exam (opens in a new tab)
Three JPSC members resign; the Governor accepts
Three members of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission — Ajita Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda and Jamal Ahmed — resigned on 9 August, submitting their resignation letters to Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar, who accepted them according to an official statement. The resignations came as the CID, probing alleged irregularities including paper leaks in JPSC recruitment exams, prepared to individually question each of them on successive days that week; the CID had previously questioned former JPSC chairman L. Khiangte over four rounds and had already arrested four candidates and three alleged middlemen. The reasons for the resignations were not disclosed. The same day, Chief Minister Hemant Soren spoke at the Jharkhand Adivasi Mahotsav function, warning against misguiding the youth for political gains.
Santosh Kumar Gangwar — Governor of Jharkhand · Press statement · August 9, 2026 “We do not want to toy with the future of our children. Resolve this by talking it out. The Chief Minister is very concerned about this and is continuously discussing with us how to resolve the children's problems.”
Remarks reported as the Governor accepted the resignations of three JPSC members.
ThePrint — Jharkhand Governor accepts resignations of 3 JPSC members (opens in a new tab)
Hemant Soren — Chief Minister of Jharkhand · Public address · August 9, 2026 “Our youth are staging protests and agitations to claim their rights. It is precisely because of our government's actions that they have found the courage to step forward... The youth will receive justice, and those responsible for the irregularities will face the severest possible punishment.”
Address at the Jharkhand Adivasi Mahotsav 2026 function; the ellipsis appears in the source's printed text.
- IANS Live — Jharkhand: 3 JPSC members resign amid CID probe into exam irregularities (opens in a new tab)
- ThePrint — Jharkhand Governor accepts resignations of 3 JPSC members amid aspirants' protest (opens in a new tab)
- Republic World — Jharkhand CM Soren Warns Against Misguiding Youth For Political Gains (opens in a new tab)
A shelved CID report resurfaces: most CGL questions had leaked
As the protests built, The Week reported on a shelved CID investigation into the September 2024 JSSC-CGL exam. The report, released in March 2025, found that about 120 of the exam's 150 questions had been leaked and that 80 per cent of the exam questions were prepared just hours before candidates were seated. After the CID submitted the report, the state government shelved it and formed a second Special Investigation Team, which dismissed the allegations. The report resurfaced during the August 2026 protests in Ranchi over corruption and demands for reforms in the tests.
Thousands march on the Jharkhand Assembly, breaching barricades
On the 17th day of the agitation, thousands of protesters marched toward the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly in Ranchi after gathering at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, breaching police barricades near the old Assembly building and advancing toward the new Assembly complex, where a final barricade stood near the Jagannathpur Temple on the road to the Assembly. The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch deployed about 500 volunteers to marshal the crowd, while authorities deployed more than 1,500 personnel from the Rapid Action Force, Indian Reserve Battalion, district police and quick-reaction teams, along with barbed-wire barricades, across a security stretch of roughly 4 km under prohibitory orders. The Assembly was in session that day.
- Deccan Chronicle — LIVE: Job Aspirants Face Water Cannons During March to Jharkhand Assembly (opens in a new tab)
- IANS Live — Jharkhand students continue march to Assembly; BJP leaders detained, barricades breached (opens in a new tab)
- PGurus — Students breach barricades, march to Jharkhand Assembly amid water cannon action (opens in a new tab)
Water cannon, tear gas and a lathi charge at the barricades
Police used water cannons when the march reached the barricade near the Jagannathpur Temple, fired multiple rounds of tear gas as protesters came within about 200 meters of the Assembly, and carried out a baton charge as the confrontation escalated; protesters faced at least three rounds of lathi-charge. Police said 14 of their own personnel were injured and characterized their action as a "mild lathi-charge," saying they would analyse CCTV footage to identify those responsible for disrupting what they described as an otherwise peaceful students' protest. Protesters reported injuries of their own: one demonstrator, Vikram Kumar of Hazaribag district, reported a head injury, and protesters said several female students were hurt. Ranchi's Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police defended the response as restrained, saying only mild, minimum force was used; Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth condemned the police action.
Sanjay Seth — Union Minister of State for Defence · Interview · August 10, 2026 “The way the Hemant Soren government adopted a repressive policy in Ranchi is unfortunate. These students were not creating any disturbance, were not being undisciplined, were not pelting stones, abusing the police, or behaving improperly with anyone.”
Speaking to IANS, reacting to the police use of force against students marching to the Assembly.
Prokerala (IANS) — Police action on students unfortunate: Sanjay Seth (opens in a new tab)
Rakesh Ranjan — Senior Superintendent of Police, Ranchi · Press statement · August 11, 2026 “In total, around 14 of our police personnel were injured.”
At a press conference with Ranchi's Deputy Commissioner the day after the march, detailing police injuries.
Webindia123 (ANI) — Ranchi top officials defend use of "mild, minimum force" (opens in a new tab)
- Cobrapost — Jharkhand Protest: Police Say "Mild Lathi-Charge" Used, 14 Cops Injured (opens in a new tab)
- Deccan Chronicle — LIVE: Job Aspirants Face Water Cannons During March to Jharkhand Assembly (opens in a new tab)
- Webindia123 (ANI) — Ranchi top officials defend use of "mild, minimum force" during Assembly march (opens in a new tab)
- Prokerala (IANS) — Police action on students unfortunate, J'khand won't forget: Sanjay Seth hits out at Soren govt (opens in a new tab)
Mahto joins the march on a stretcher, then is hospitalized
Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, 33, of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha, on the ninth day of an indefinite hunger strike at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, joined the Assembly march in an ambulance and took part on a stretcher. At least six protesters remained on indefinite hunger strike at the time. Mahto said barbed wires would not stop the marchers, and separately appealed for the protest to remain peaceful, noting it was Chief Minister Hemant Soren's birthday. His condition deteriorated and he was admitted to Ranchi's Sadar Hospital following the march.
Devendra Nath Mahto — Student leader, on hunger strike · Public address · August 10, 2026 “Despite being on hunger strike, the barbed wires will not be able to stop us”
In a speech to the crowd, broadcast by Indian media, as protesters approached police barricades during the march.
Devendra Nath Mahto — Student leader, on hunger strike · Interview · August 10, 2026 “It is Hemant Soren's birthday today. I don't want students to do anything on this day which would cause some mishap here like that during Jantar Mantar protest in Delhi. No blood should spill here, it should stay peaceful.”
Appealing for a peaceful march, noting the coincidence with the Chief Minister's birthday.
The Week — Fasting activist Mahto joins Assembly march in ambulance (opens in a new tab)
- Al Jazeera — Protesters rally in India's Jharkhand over alleged exam irregularities (opens in a new tab)
- The Week — Fasting activist Mahto joins Assembly march in ambulance; former CM Marandi detained (opens in a new tab)
- Republic World — Devendra Nath Mahto Admitted To Hospital After 9-Day Hunger Strike (opens in a new tab)
Marandi and the BJP state chief are detained outside the CM's residence
Separately on 10 August, Jharkhand's Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Babulal Marandi, along with state BJP president Aditya Sahu, was detained by police while protesting outside Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence over the alleged examination irregularities. The detentions came on the 17th day of the wider agitation.
Statewide bandh, mass ABVP detentions, and an Assembly adjourned sine die
The BJP called a statewide bandh from 8 a.m. to midnight on 11 August to protest the previous day's police action. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad marched from the old Vidhan Sabha toward the new Assembly in Ranchi; police detained more than 100 ABVP workers, including national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki, with the RSS-linked Organiser reporting hundreds of workers arrested from different locations. Addressing the Assembly, Chief Minister Hemant Soren accused the BJP of exploiting the student agitation for political gain and announced the cancellation of the 14th JPSC preliminary examination and backlog recruitment exams and an investigation into TDPL-linked examinations; BJP legislators walked out, and after the ensuing uproar the Speaker adjourned the Assembly sine die, a day ahead of schedule. A ruling-alliance MP said 98 percent of the students' demands had been accepted.
Hemant Soren — Chief Minister of Jharkhand · Press statement · August 11, 2026 “The parasitic BJP once again tried to turn the youth's movement into its own political platform yesterday. Matters concerning students will be discussed with the students themselves, and my young friends in Jharkhand will certainly get justice.”
Responding to the BJP's bandh call and the previous day's clashes.
Siasat — Jharkhand protest: ABVP workers detained, House adjourned early (opens in a new tab)
Babulal Marandi — Leader of Opposition, Jharkhand Assembly (BJP) · Press statement · August 11, 2026 “The government wants to conceal the truth using batons...voices cannot be silenced by batons.”
Criticizing the police response to the 10 August march.
Daily Prabhat — Protests grip Ranchi: ABVP workers detained, BJP enforces bandh (opens in a new tab)
Irfan Ansari — Jharkhand minister · Press statement · August 11, 2026 “An attempt was made to hijack the protest. They (BJP) did the work of crushing the protest by sending rioters.”
Alleging outside elements had disrupted the otherwise peaceful protest.
Daily Prabhat — Protests grip Ranchi: ABVP workers detained, BJP enforces bandh (opens in a new tab)
Mahua Maji — JMM Member of Parliament · Press statement · August 11, 2026 “98% of their demands have been accepted; only 2% of the demands remain...The students had agreed, but the BJP was inciting the students.”
Defending the state government's handling of the students' demands.
Daily Prabhat — Protests grip Ranchi: ABVP workers detained, BJP enforces bandh (opens in a new tab)
Virendra Singh Solanki — ABVP National General Secretary · Press statement · August 11, 2026 “ABVP organised today's peaceful Assembly protest against the brutal lathicharge and use of water cannons on students yesterday.”
Explaining the purpose of the ABVP's 11 August march; he was among those detained.
- The Tribune — Jharkhand job exam stir enters 18th day; BJP observes bandh, ABVP to march to Assembly (opens in a new tab)
- Siasat — Jharkhand protest: ABVP workers detained, House adjourned early (opens in a new tab)
- Daily Prabhat — Protests grip Ranchi: ABVP workers detained after clash with police, BJP enforces bandh (opens in a new tab)
- Organiser — ABVP protests outside Jharkhand Assembly over lathicharge on students; many arrested (opens in a new tab)
- National Herald — Jharkhand protests: Soren targets BJP for its 'student guise for political gains' (opens in a new tab)
A night visit to the hunger-strike site; the SP denies a detention bid
Senior Ranchi police and administrative officials, including the SSP, DSP and District Magistrate, visited the protest site at night on 12 August, where students remained on hunger strike, prompting allegations from protesters that officials had asked them to discontinue their fast and the broader protest. Ranchi Superintendent of Police Paras Rana denied that the visit was an attempt to detain demonstrators, saying the team had come to speak with the students and verify the identities of certain individuals. Student leader Piyush Kumar said protesters had not been officially asked to leave.
Paras Rana — Superintendent of Police, Ranchi · Press statement · August 12, 2026 “No one came to detain anyone; the issue is that Instagram influencers have arrived to make videos go viral.”
Responding to accusations that the night-time visit by senior officials to the hunger-strike site was an attempt to detain protesters.
About 600 protesters are booked over the Assembly march
Jharkhand Police registered a case at the Assembly police station in Ranchi against roughly 600 people — about 100 named individuals and some 500 unidentified participants — in connection with the 10 August march. Police invoked multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, alleging some protesters engaged in violence, stone-pelting and damage to public property; protesters disputed the account, saying police used excessive force against job aspirants. Aides of the hospitalized Devendra Nath Mahto alleged he was injured in the police lathi-charge.
Rahul Gandhi writes to Soren: meet the students
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote to Chief Minister Hemant Soren on 14 August suggesting he personally meet representatives of the protesting students, describing their protest as peaceful and their demands as legitimate; the letter was reported by media on 17 August. After the government's 17 August cancellation announcement and the end of the hunger strike, Gandhi said in a post on X that Soren and the Jharkhand government had chosen the path of dialogue and arrived at a solution, and that the students had exercised restraint and got their demands accepted.
Rahul Gandhi — Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha · Press statement · August 14, 2026 “Their protest has been peaceful, and their demands are legitimate.”
From Gandhi's 14 August letter to CM Hemant Soren, reported by media on 17 August.
The Tribune — Rahul Gandhi asks Jharkhand CM Soren to meet protesting students (opens in a new tab)
Rahul Gandhi — Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha · On X · August 18, 2026 “This is the right way — when students raise questions, they should get answers.”
Post in Hindi on X after the cancellations were announced; English rendering as published by The Tribune.
Effigies burned; an ultimatum set; the opposition urges talks
Protesters under the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch banner took out a torchlight procession from Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium to Albert Ekka Chowk in Ranchi on 16 August, where they burned effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. Manch leader Ravindra Paswan announced protesters would gherao Soren's official residence on 20 August, sought the chief minister's resignation, accused both the JMM and the Congress of playing politics with the agitation, and demanded Rahul Gandhi withdraw support from the JMM-led coalition if Soren would not listen to him. Protesters set an 18 August ultimatum for government action. The same day, Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi told news agency ANI the government should pay attention to the students' demands and hold talks with them without delay.
Ravindra Paswan — Leader, JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch · Press statement · August 16, 2026 “We will gherao the chief minister's residence on August 20. We seek his resignation as both the JMM and the Congress are playing politics with us. We also demand that Rahul Gandhi withdraw support from the JMM-led coalition if the CM is not listening to him.”
Announcing the next phase of the agitation after the effigy burning at Albert Ekka Chowk.
Babulal Marandi — Leader of the Opposition, Jharkhand Assembly (BJP) · Interview · August 16, 2026 “The government should hold talks with the students without any delay.”
Speaking to news agency ANI as the standoff continued; the closing sentence of a longer remark urging the government not to remain adamant.
The government cancels the JSSC-CGL exam and every TDPL-run test
On the night of 17 August, after 24 days of student protest, the Jharkhand government announced the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination and of all examinations, declared results and selections conducted by testing agency TDPL, and ordered a comprehensive inquiry into recruitment examinations conducted from 2014 onwards. The decision followed a cabinet meeting convened by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The government did not announce the CBI probe that had been at the centre of the agitation, relying instead on state CID and SIT investigations already under way; student leaders said the protest would continue until the CBI demand was met. The cancellation drew immediate pushback from candidates already appointed through the scrapped process — 1,932 had received appointments on 30 December 2025 — who protested the decision and indicated they would challenge it in court.
Hemant Soren — Chief Minister of Jharkhand · Press statement · August 17, 2026 “There is already an SOP for conducting examinations, and if it had been followed, these irregularities would not have occurred”
Commenting after the cabinet's decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL examination and other exams linked to vendor TDPL.
Dipika Pandey Singh — Jharkhand State Minister · Public address · August 17, 2026 “Since the first day, I have been telling you that Jharkhand will set an example; we have a model of legislation to ensure strict punishment for the culprits of paper leaks.”
Addressing protesting aspirants after the government cancelled the JSSC-CGL examination.
- The Tribune — Jharkhand Government cancels all TDPL-linked exams; protesters demand CBI probe (opens in a new tab)
- Organiser — JSSC-CGL exam cancelled after 24-day protest in Jharkhand (opens in a new tab)
- Outlook India — Jharkhand JSSC-CGL Exams Cancelled: Devendra Nath Mahto Ends Hunger Strike (opens in a new tab)
The hunger strike ends after 16 days
Student leaders Devendra Nath Mahto, Umme Habiba and Rahul Kranti ended their 16-day hunger strike in Ranchi late on 17 August, after the government's exam-cancellation announcement; state ministers Dipika Pandey Singh and Irfan Ansari attended and offered them juice to formally end the fast. Mahto thanked the state government for what he called the courage to take a significant decision, while pressing for continued reform of the examination system. Fellow student leader Ravindra Paswan said the demand for a CBI investigation remained unmet and protesters would not move from the site until it was addressed.
Devendra Nath Mahto — Student leader · Press statement · August 17, 2026 “I thank the Jharkhand government for showing the courage to make such a significant decision, canceling an exam was a massive challenge”
Speaking after ending his 16-day hunger strike in Ranchi; spelling as printed by the source.
Devendra Nath Mahto — Student leader · Interview · August 17, 2026 “If this requires the Legislative Assembly to enact new laws or necessitates a constitutional amendment, then so be it. Every examination must be monitored, every examination must be audited, and there must be a clear certificate for every examination and at every stage; we will continue to struggle for this”
Speaking to reporters as he ended the fast, on the reforms the movement would keep pressing for.
Ravindra Paswan — Student leader · Press statement · August 17, 2026 “Ministers Dipika Pandey and Irfan Ansari visited us and appealed to us to call off the agitation. However, the government has not yet agreed to our demand for a CBI inquiry.”
Noting that the movement's core demand for a CBI probe remained unresolved despite the exam cancellation.
Appointed candidates open a counter-front
Government employees appointed through the now-cancelled JSSC-CGL recruitment — a decision affecting around 2,000 positions, including Assistant Branch Officer, Junior Secretariat Assistant and Labour Enforcement Officer posts — demonstrated outside Project Bhawan in Ranchi after the state's cancellation announcement, seeking clarity on their appointments and demanding they not be removed from service; some indicated they would pursue legal remedies. Protester Chanda Kumari said the decision had immediately put thousands of innocent candidates at risk, questioned whether cancelling an examination was the appropriate way to address alleged irregularities, and said the government had heard only one side of the dispute for the past 24 days.