Hunger Strike Continues in Jharkhand as Students Demand Exam Overhaul

Ranchi, August 7 – On the fourteenth successive day, students protesting alleged question‑paper leaks in Jharkhand’s JPSC and JSSC examinations have sustained a sit‑in at Jaypal Singh Munda Stadium and have intensified their hunger strike.

According to the Jharkhand Democratic Revolutionary Front, the leakage of exam papers has become a systematic problem, benefitting wealthy aspirants while forcing hardworking, lower‑income candidates onto the streets. Devendra Nath Mahato, a senior student leader, said the state government has offered only hollow assurances and has not set any firm dates for investigations or corrective action.

Mahato suggested that a genuine probe would likely expose high‑profile individuals benefiting from the malpractice, and that fear of exposure may be delaying decisive steps. He presented a bifurcated list of demands: immediate cancellation of the disputed 14th JPSC, FRO and other exams, and the establishment of a clear, time‑bound demand system for future recruitment processes.

When questioned about political backing, Mahato insisted that the cause is non‑partisan and should receive support from all parties – BJP, Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, and others – because it concerns the fundamental rights of students across the state.

Student participant Prem, who has been on a hunger strike for five days, warned that the strike will persist until the authorities meet every demand. He described the situation as a crisis where government jobs are being “sold to the rich,” leaving the poor with no future, and labeled it “the worst time for a free India.”