Ranchi, August 07, 2026

The student-led protest over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment examinations has entered a more critical stage, with the health of hunger-striking participants becoming a major concern. As the agitation continues to gather momentum, the demands for transparency, accountability and institutional reforms have intensified, placing increasing pressure on the state government to respond.

One of the six protesters observing an indefinite hunger strike, student leader Rahul Kranti, was shifted to Ranchi Sadar Hospital on Friday after his health condition deteriorated, officials said. Kranti has been fasting since the night of August 4. Earlier in the day, he said the protesters had requested a medical examination from the administration, but no doctors had reached the protest site by 8:30 a.m. Five protesters, including two women, joined JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto in the hunger strike on August 4. Mahto has now been on fast for six days. After speaking with social activist Sonam Wangchuk on August 5, Mahto agreed to begin drinking water following Wangchuk's appeal.

The agitation entered its 14th day on Friday, with two student organisations announcing a march towards the Jharkhand Assembly during the ongoing Monsoon Session. The protesters are demanding the cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Civil Services Examination and an independent investigation into the alleged recruitment irregularities, either by the CBI or by a panel of retired High Court judges from outside the state. They have also called for comprehensive reforms in both the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). The issue also reverberated inside the Assembly on Thursday, where Opposition MLAs staged protests during the first day of the session.

The protest, which began on July 25 under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, has become one of Jharkhand's largest student-led movements in recent years. The protesters said they were compelled to intensify their agitation after repeated appeals to the government "failed" to produce any concrete action. "We have formed an 11-member delegation, comprising eight students, two experts and an advocate, in response to the government's offer to hold talks in connection with the stir," said an office bearer of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch. Officials said a five-member government panel, including ministers Dipika Pandey Singh and Sudivya Kumar, is expected to hold discussions with the protesters, raising hopes for a possible breakthrough in the ongoing deadlock.