RANCHI, JHARKHAND | August 18, 2026
Jharkhand Cancels JSSC-CGL Examination
The Jharkhand government has cancelled the JSSC-CGL examination and other recruitment examinations conducted by private agency TSR Data Processing Pvt Ltd (TDPL), following weeks of protests by students over alleged irregularities in the recruitment process.
The decision came after Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation late Monday. The development led student leader Devendra Nath Mahto to end his 16-day hunger strike at Sadar Hospital in Ranchi.
Devendra Nath Mahto Ends Hunger Strike
Mahto ended his hunger strike in the presence of Jharkhand ministers Dipika Pandey Singh and Irfan Ansari.
According to reports published on August 18, Mahto had been fasting for 16 days as part of the wider student agitation over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. After the government’s decision, he thanked the state administration and called the cancellation a major victory for the student movement.
The hunger strike had become one of the central points of the prolonged protest in Ranchi.
Government Cancels TDPL-Conducted Exams
The government’s decision extends beyond the JSSC-CGL examination.
Jharkhand has decided to cancel all recruitment examinations conducted by TDPL since 2014, along with associated results and selections, according to reports. The move follows investigations into alleged irregularities surrounding recruitment examinations handled by the agency.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren has said investigations by the CID and SIT brought several serious issues to light. The government has also announced measures aimed at reforming the recruitment examination system.
Around 2,000 Selected Candidates Face Uncertainty
While the decision has been welcomed by protesting students, it has created a fresh problem for candidates who had already cleared the JSSC-CGL examination.
Around 2,000 candidates who successfully cleared the recruitment process are now concerned about their appointments and future employment. Many of them gathered outside the Jharkhand Secretariat on Tuesday, arguing that they should not be punished for alleged irregularities in the examination process.
The affected candidates have demanded clarity from the government over their jobs and future recruitment opportunities.
CBI Probe Remains a Major Demand
Despite the cancellation of the examination, the student agitation has not completely ended.
A key unresolved demand is a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged examination irregularities. Student representatives have questioned the government’s position on a CBI investigation and said they want clarity on several other recruitment-related demands before fully withdrawing the movement.
The government, meanwhile, has pointed to the ongoing state-level investigations and proposed reforms.
Government Announces Recruitment Reforms
The Jharkhand government has also moved towards structural reforms in the recruitment examination system.
Chief Minister Soren announced that a committee headed by IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal would work on reforms and engage with institutions, experts and other stakeholders to improve the examination process.
The move is intended to address concerns about transparency and prevent future irregularities in government recruitment examinations.
Student Movement Marks Major Turning Point
The cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination represents a major development in the 24-day student agitation.
For protesters, the decision fulfils one of their most important demands and prompted Mahto and other hunger strikers to end their fast. However, the emergence of protests by already-selected candidates and continued demands for a CBI investigation means the controversy is not completely over.
The government now faces the challenge of balancing demands for a clean recruitment process with the concerns of candidates whose selections are affected by the cancellation.
What Happens Next?
The immediate focus will be on how the government handles the candidates who cleared the cancelled examination and whether the remaining student demands are addressed.
With the JSSC-CGL cancellation now announced and Mahto’s hunger strike over, the student movement has entered a new phase. The government’s proposed recruitment reforms and the unresolved demand for a CBI probe are likely to remain at the centre of attention in the coming days.
Source: ThePrint/ANI, India Today, The New Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Times of India, All India Radio News.
Original Report: Supreme News Network (SSN)
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Many thanks!