Jharkhand aspirants’ march: Demand for reform after years of exam delays

Thousands of government job aspirants marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi on Monday to protest against recurring irregularities in State-level recruitment examinations. The demonstration, which saw police using batons, tear gas, and water cannons, highlighted the deep frustration among young people who say flawed examination processes have cost them precious years.

The protest was organised by the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch and the Jharkhand Lok Sangharsh Morcha. Demonstrators demanded the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, accountability for alleged malpractices, and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter. The march began at the old Vidhan Sabha around 10.30 a.m. and moved towards the new Assembly complex.

Among the demonstrators was 28-year-old Pankaj Yadav, a JPSC and JSSC aspirant who had appeared for such examinations four times. He said each attempt was marred by irregularities. After being baton-charged, he lay on the road a kilometre from the Assembly, nursing a swollen foot and leg pain, yet still spoke about the exams that had brought him there.

Sonali Agrawal, a JPSC-CGL aspirant, said the march was about the years students were losing while waiting for a trustworthy recruitment system. “As students, we are constantly dealing with exam cancellations and paper leaks. Since the formation of Jharkhand, this has been a consistent issue for 26 years,” she said. “These exams are a lifeline for this State’s youth and this is the reason why the issue is still alive.”

As the crowd neared the Assembly, police used batons, tear gas, and low-pressure water cannons to disperse them. Later in the evening, heavier force was used against those who remained. YouTuber Parth Kumar told The Hindu that his camera was destroyed by police personnel near the Vidhan Sabha complex. “They forced me to delete the footage of lathi charge and then pushed me to the ground with my camera and it broke,” he said.

The police action deepened the anger among the aspirants. “They should directly hit us with a gun. The government is already sucking our youth years,” said 32-year-old Shubam Kumar, an aspirant.

Many protesters felt the barricades themselves carried a message. Binod, a protester, pointed to the barbed wire around the barricades. “We see these barbed wires on the border with Pakistan. Does the government think that we are terrorists in our own country?” he asked.

Anand Sagar, 26, suffered an arm injury during the first round of baton charge. “This dictatorial government is beating us students, but we will give an answer for this treatment through our votes,” he said. “We came to wish the Chief Minister on his birthday but they beat us black and blue. I can’t even stand up.”

Jitendra, another protester, questioned the response. “This government says that students are like its family. Is this the way to treat family?” he said. “If we are protesting as per the laws, then why is the government beating us like criminals?”

For Ms. Agrawal, the march was not about any political party or a single day of confrontation. It was about whether students could believe that the years spent preparing for government jobs would lead to a fair examination. “We demand a CBI investigation because we do not trust the State authorities,” she said. “We are not against any party, we just want reforms in the system.”

Some protesters recalled previous demonstrations. Manu, 24, from Ramgarh, had attended the CJP’s July 20 march to Parliament in Delhi, where he suffered a head injury. He said the Delhi Police was much more aggressive, while in Ranchi the police initially allowed the crowd to move forward before the baton charge.

The protest comes against a backdrop of long-standing complaints about exam leaks, cancellations, and alleged corruption in Jharkhand’s recruitment process. For many young people, these exams are seen as one of the few reliable pathways to stable employment in the State. Monday’s march reflects a broader demand for systemic reform and accountability.