Jharkhand exam row: Govt mulls cancelling exams, 3 PSC members resign; students hold firm

A high-stakes administrative shake-up unfolded in Jharkhand as all three serving members of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) resigned amid escalating student protests and a deepening investigation into competitive examination irregularities.

Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar accepted the resignations of commission members Ajeeta Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda, and Jamal Ahmad. The developments follow notices issued by the Jharkhand State Crime Investigation Department (CID), which had summoned the trio for questioning regarding alleged paper leaks, OMR sheet tampering, and the involvement of blacklisted agencies in state recruitment tests.

The top-level exits mark a major collapse in the commission's leadership, following the resignation of former JPSC Chairman L Khiangte on July 22. Khiangte has already been subjected to four consecutive days of questioning by the CID.

To date, law enforcement authorities have arrested 19 individuals in connection with the examination scam, executing raids across Ranchi, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Palamu, and parts of neighboring Bihar to recover incriminating documents.

Despite the state government considering the cancellation of three disputed JPSC recruitment examinations and establishing a dedicated grievance email for candidates, political outreach has failed to break the deadlock. A five-member ministerial panel held multiple rounds of talks with student delegations — including representatives from the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, the JPSC-JSSC Candidates' Forum, and the Jharkhand Loktantrik Kranti Morcha (JLKM) — but agitators refused to call off their demonstration.

For over a fortnight, thousands of aspirants have gathered at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, staging sit-ins, torchlight rallies to Albert Ekka Chowk, and hunger strikes. Protesters are demanding the complete cancellation of the 14th JPSC Combined Preliminary Test held on April 19, along with a comprehensive investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) covering all recruitment tests held over the last seven years.

Aspirants expressed sharp skepticism toward the state-level investigation, demanding higher accountability and systemic reform.

The agitation highlights the human cost on thousands of young job seekers from rural and tribal communities across the state, who have spent years preparing for public service roles.

Sneha, a tribal student from Ranchi, echoed the urgency for institutional fairness: "I have been preparing for competitive examinations since 2023. But if an equal and fair chance is not given, how can I get a job? I urge CM Soren to listen to our demands."

Acknowledging the gravity of the agitation, the government panel noted that the students' concerns would be escalated directly to the top leadership.

"Demands of protesting aspirants are genuine; we will place these before Chief Minister Hemant Soren," State Minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav said.

With JLKM leader Devendranath Mahto continuing an indefinite fast and student bodies planning a march to the State Assembly, the pressure remains squarely on the state government to resolve the crisis.