Ranchi, Aug 2026 : With the Jharkhand government announcing the cancellation of all examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) and TDPL, student leader Devendra Nath Mahto has said the agitation will now enter its “second stage”, with protesters demanding legislation to ensure that recruitment examinations in the state remain completely free from paper leaks and other forms of malpractice.
Mahto said the movement was not limited to securing the cancellation of specific examinations but aimed at bringing about a comprehensive transformation of Jharkhand’s recruitment and examination system. He said students now want a transparent, accountable and corruption-free mechanism that can prevent irregularities and protect the interests of candidates.
Referring to the cancellation of the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination, Mahto pointed out that the test had previously been cancelled on January 28, 2024, following allegations of a question paper leak. He said the problem persisted even during the subsequent re-examination, forcing authorities to cancel it again.
“The CGL examination that was cancelled yesterday had also been cancelled on January 28, 2024, due to a paper leak. The paper leak took place even during the re-examination, due to which the exam was again cancelled. So, the 14 exams which have now been cancelled, what is the guarantee that paper leaks won't happen again?” Mahto asked.
He described the government’s decision to accept the protesters’ demand for action against examination irregularities as a victory for the first stage of their agitation. He thanked the government, students and supporters who backed the movement.
However, Mahto argued that repeated investigations into examination irregularities had failed to provide adequate justice to students. He said inquiries by different agencies had been conducted over the years, but candidates continued to face uncertainty and disruption because of paper leaks and other irregularities.
According to Mahto, the government must now establish a foolproof examination system and provide a legal guarantee against future malpractice. He demanded that the state government introduce a law prescribing stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks, faulty question paper setting or other forms of examination fraud.
“We want recruitment examinations which are secure from any kind of paper leaks. The government must now guarantee a system that leaves no room for future paper leaks, issues in question paper setting, or any form of malpractice during examinations,” he said.
Mahto further demanded that the Jharkhand Assembly pass legislation to ensure accountability and deterrence. He also said that, if necessary, constitutional provisions should be amended to achieve the objective of securing recruitment examinations.
He asserted that such legislation would not only address the concerns of the current generation of students but also safeguard future candidates from disruptions caused by examination-related irregularities.
Earlier, after ending his hunger strike, Mahto said the protesters had suspended their fast on the 16th day following discussions involving Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari, Minister Deepika Pandey and MLA Jairam Mahto. He said all the demands for which students had been protesting peacefully and constitutionally had been fulfilled.
The decision to cancel all examinations conducted by JSSC-CGL and TDPL was taken at a special Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday.
The announcement sparked celebrations among students protesting at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. Despite heavy rain, students hugged one another, distributed sweets, raised slogans and celebrated with colours and fireworks. Protesters described the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination as a major victory after 24 days of agitation.
With the first phase now concluded, Mahto made it clear that students intend to continue pressing for systemic reforms until Jharkhand has an examination framework that guarantees transparency, accountability and protection from paper leaks.
