RANCHI — Widespread outrage over alleged paper leaks and exam irregularities has escalated into a major political test for Jharkhand’s ruling coalition, with student protesters demanding that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pull his party out of Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s government.
Marking the 80th Independence Day with a massive ‘Tiranga Yatra’ from Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium to Albert Ekka Chowk, thousands of candidates under the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch banner pushed their agitation into its 22nd day. The student platform announced a state-wide drive to burn effigies of both Chief Minister Soren and Rahul Gandhi across all 24 districts, alongside a planned encirclement (gherao) of the Chief Minister’s official residence on August 20.
Demonstrators sharply targeted top Congress leadership for issuing statements of sympathy without translating them into executive action. Protesters demanded the immediate cancellation of controversial JSSC-CGL and JPSC examinations, alongside an independent probe led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a judicial panel of retired judges.
The agitation has gained strong backing from opposition benches, with former Chief Minister Champai Soren publicly questioning why the state executive has hesitated to hand the investigation over to central agencies.
Addressing the state on Independence Day, Chief Minister Hemant Soren sought to defuse tensions, acknowledging that recruitment controversies had severely shaken student trust. While cautioning against premature conclusions without evidence, the Chief Minister pledged structural overhauls, including a fixed annual exam calendar, technology-backed security measures, and multi-tier accountability.
