Devendra Nath Mahto, a prominent activist in Jharkhand state, concluded his 16-day hunger strike at a hospital in Ranchi after government officials agreed to accede to key protest demands. The demonstrations had commenced following allegations of irregularities in civil service recruitment examinations, with job seekers and students claiming manipulation in the testing process.
The protests intensified after preliminary examination results from last month, when candidates alleged that successful applicants appeared to have answered fewer questions than procedurally expected, raising concerns about answer manipulation. The movement gained further momentum following larger demonstrations in the national capital that resulted in the resignation of the federal education minister, placing additional pressure on the state administration.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level examination and committed to investigations by the state’s Criminal Investigation Department. The administration also agreed to cancel all examinations conducted by private contractor TSR Data Processing Private Limited and initiated a probe into recruitment exams held since 2014. Additionally, a committee will be established to recommend systemic reforms to the state’s examination procedures.
Despite these concessions, protest organizers indicated they would maintain their demonstrations pending a commitment for investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation, the nation’s premier investigative agency. Some candidates who had already secured positions following the disputed examination results have reportedly expressed opposition to the government’s decision to cancel the tests. The situation has created political tension, with the ruling coalition facing criticism while the opposition has publicly supported the protesters’ demands.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI