The long-running protest by JPSC and JSSC aspirants in Jharkhand intensified sharply on Monday, August 10, as thousands of students marching towards the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly in Ranchi breached multiple police barricades. Police subsequently used water cannons to prevent the protesters from advancing further.
The confrontation came during the students’ planned “Vidhan Sabha March/Gherao”, organised over alleged irregularities in several state recruitment examinations.
🔴 What happened today?
Thousands of aspirants gathered in Ranchi after travelling from different parts of Jharkhand by trains and buses to participate in the march. The protesters began moving towards the Assembly despite heavy security arrangements and restrictions imposed around the area.
As the march progressed, protesters broke through police barricades at several points. Reports said students breached the third barricade as they continued towards the Assembly. Police deployed water cannons as the situation became increasingly tense.
The latest reports describe the protest as continuing, with large numbers of students still attempting to move towards the Assembly.
🧑🎓 Why are the students protesting?
The agitation centres on allegations of irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations, particularly examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
The protesters are demanding:
- An independent CBI investigation into alleged examination irregularities.
- Greater transparency in recruitment examinations.
- Structural reforms in the recruitment commissions.
- Action against those found responsible for alleged irregularities.
- Cancellation/review of examinations that protesters believe were compromised.
The agitation has now continued for more than two weeks and has developed into a major political and administrative issue in Jharkhand.
⚖️ Government’s response
The Jharkhand government has argued that it has already accepted a large portion of the protesters’ demands.
Among the measures announced are the cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination, a proposed fast-track court for examination-irregularity cases, and a proposed expert panel involving institutions including IIT-ISM Dhanbad, IIM Ranchi and XLRI Jamshedpur to recommend reforms. The government has also proposed a committee headed by a retired High Court judge to examine the JSSC-CGL issue.
The government has maintained that it wants the students to end the agitation and resolve the remaining issues through dialogue.
However, the protesters have rejected the government’s position that most of their demands have been met, insisting particularly on an independent CBI probe.
🚧 Heavy security in Ranchi
Authorities had anticipated the Assembly march and significantly increased security across Ranchi.
Police deployed additional personnel and erected multiple barricades at key points. A prohibitory order was imposed within a 750-metre radius of the Vidhan Sabha from August 6 to August 12, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
The administration had appealed to students to keep the march peaceful and warned against violence or other unlawful activity.
Despite these preparations, the protesters managed to break through several barricades on Monday, leading to the use of water cannons.
🏛️ Political tensions rise
The student agitation has also drawn political involvement.
On Monday, several BJP leaders, including former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi and BJP state president Aditya Sahu, were detained while protesting outside Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s residence in connection with the examination-irregularity issue.
The opposition has accused the state government of failing to adequately address the students’ concerns, while the government has urged protesters to maintain peace and continue negotiations.
🍽️ Protest leader Devendra Nath Mahto joins march
One of the notable developments today was the participation of student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike.
Despite his health condition, Mahto joined the Assembly march on a stretcher, becoming a prominent visual symbol of the ongoing agitation.
He has urged protesters to remain focused on their demands and avoid clashes with the police.
