Jharkhand students call off 16-day hunger strike after govt cancels TDPL exams; CBI probe demand remains
Jharkhand Chief Minister Soren announced the cancellation in full. "All examinations conducted by TDPL and the results published by it are now cancelled
- Aug 18, 2026,
- Updated Aug 18, 2026 8:43 AM IST
On day 16 of his hunger strike, Devendra Mahto broke his fast. Moments earlier, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren had announced the cancellation of all competitive examinations conducted by testing agency TDPL since 2014, a demand that had brought thousands of students to the streets of Ranchi since July 25. Other hunger strikers, including Umme Habiba and Rahul Kranti, ended their fasts at Sadar Hospital in the presence of state ministers.
At the protest site at Jaipal Singh Munda Ground, students wept, cheered and embraced each other.
But not everyone was ready to stand down.
What the government agreed to
Chief Minister Soren announced the cancellation in full. "All examinations conducted by TDPL and the results published by it are now cancelled. Examinations and recruitment conducted through TDPL stand cancelled," he said, adding that a Crime Investigation Department inquiry would be conducted into all exams held through TDPL since 2014.
Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari confirmed that the government had accepted the students' demands. All three hunger-striking student leaders were medically examined and found to be in normal health before being discharged.
Mahto's response
Mahto described the government's move as difficult but historic. "The decision taken today was not easy," he said, adding that the government had conducted an "honest and impartial inquiry" and found a path forward for all concerned parties.
He called for legislative action to prevent future fraud. "Such a law should be made in the House so that no student is cheated or deceived. The government should guarantee this," Mahto said.
He credited Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari, Minister Dipika Pandey and MLA Jairam Mahato for their "joint initiative" in resolving the issues, and thanked Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for the decision.
"Today, on the 16th day of our hunger strike, we have ended our fast in a very dignified manner," Mahto said. He added that while the immediate demands had been met, the broader fight was not over. "We will continue to struggle for further reforms," he said.
The CBI demand that remains
A faction of student leaders said the government's concessions, while significant, did not go far enough. The key outstanding demand is a CBI probe into the cancelled JSSC-CGL and TDPL examinations, the government has ordered a CID investigation, not a CBI one.
Student leader Piyush Kumar called the cancellation "just the first step" and said certain issues, he referred to the "11th to 13th" issue — remained unresolved. "Our demands have not yet been fully met... The struggle will continue," he said.
Ravindra Paswan thanked the Chief Minister for what he called a "historic and bold decision" but made the conditional support clear. "If you order a CBI investigation, then all of us students are with you," he said, adding that students would review the official notification before deciding their next course of action.
How the protest began
The agitation started on July 25 with a small gathering at Ranchi's Vapu Batika Ground over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in the JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations. It grew into one of the largest student movements Jharkhand has seen in recent years, drawing sustained national attention.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, in a video call with Mahto and his team, congratulated them on their "commitment, honesty and conviction" and also appreciated Chief Minister Soren for accepting the students' demands.
On day 16 of his hunger strike, Devendra Mahto broke his fast. Moments earlier, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren had announced the cancellation of all competitive examinations conducted by testing agency TDPL since 2014, a demand that had brought thousands of students to the streets of Ranchi since July 25. Other hunger strikers, including Umme Habiba and Rahul Kranti, ended their fasts at Sadar Hospital in the presence of state ministers.
At the protest site at Jaipal Singh Munda Ground, students wept, cheered and embraced each other.
But not everyone was ready to stand down.
What the government agreed to
Chief Minister Soren announced the cancellation in full. "All examinations conducted by TDPL and the results published by it are now cancelled. Examinations and recruitment conducted through TDPL stand cancelled," he said, adding that a Crime Investigation Department inquiry would be conducted into all exams held through TDPL since 2014.
Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari confirmed that the government had accepted the students' demands. All three hunger-striking student leaders were medically examined and found to be in normal health before being discharged.
Mahto's response
Mahto described the government's move as difficult but historic. "The decision taken today was not easy," he said, adding that the government had conducted an "honest and impartial inquiry" and found a path forward for all concerned parties.
He called for legislative action to prevent future fraud. "Such a law should be made in the House so that no student is cheated or deceived. The government should guarantee this," Mahto said.
He credited Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari, Minister Dipika Pandey and MLA Jairam Mahato for their "joint initiative" in resolving the issues, and thanked Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for the decision.
"Today, on the 16th day of our hunger strike, we have ended our fast in a very dignified manner," Mahto said. He added that while the immediate demands had been met, the broader fight was not over. "We will continue to struggle for further reforms," he said.
The CBI demand that remains
A faction of student leaders said the government's concessions, while significant, did not go far enough. The key outstanding demand is a CBI probe into the cancelled JSSC-CGL and TDPL examinations, the government has ordered a CID investigation, not a CBI one.
Student leader Piyush Kumar called the cancellation "just the first step" and said certain issues, he referred to the "11th to 13th" issue — remained unresolved. "Our demands have not yet been fully met... The struggle will continue," he said.
Ravindra Paswan thanked the Chief Minister for what he called a "historic and bold decision" but made the conditional support clear. "If you order a CBI investigation, then all of us students are with you," he said, adding that students would review the official notification before deciding their next course of action.
How the protest began
The agitation started on July 25 with a small gathering at Ranchi's Vapu Batika Ground over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in the JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations. It grew into one of the largest student movements Jharkhand has seen in recent years, drawing sustained national attention.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, in a video call with Mahto and his team, congratulated them on their "commitment, honesty and conviction" and also appreciated Chief Minister Soren for accepting the students' demands.