Jharkhand Government Cancels Results of Key Exam, Devendra Mahato Ends Fast, But Protesters Press Demand For CBI Probe
New Delhi: In the latest concession to youths protesting examination irregularities in Jharkhand, chief minister Hemant Soren on Monday (August 18) announced that his government will move to cancel the results of the Staff Selection Commission's Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) test that has been embroiled in controversy.
Soren, who addressed mediapersons on Monday evening after a meeting of the state cabinet, also said that the government will cancel the outcome of all tests conducted by TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL) and will ask the police to investigate all exam irregularities from 2014.
One of the movement's key leaders Devendra Nath Mahato, who is admitted to Ranchi's Sadar Hospital, called off his fast after meeting ministers and MLAs.
While protesters celebrated the government's decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL's results, seeveral said they will continue their agitation until a CBI probe is ordered.
“Friends, all our demands have not yet been met. They have just decided to cancel [the exam] now. A CBI inquiry is still left … the 11th to 13th iterations of the JPSC [Jharkhand Public Service Commission's civil services exam] are yet to be cancelled,” said student leader Ravindra Paswan of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch after Soren's announcement.
VIDEO | Ranchi: Student leader Ravindra Paswan expressed gratitude following Chief Minister Hemant Soren's decision regarding the cancellation of JSSC CGL exams.
He says, "From this stage, I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the students and youngsters. I also sincerely… pic.twitter.com/AKLpQjJRyQ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 17, 2026
Youths in Jharkhand have been protesting irregularities in examinations, including in the preliminary leg of the 14th JPSC civil services exam held in April as well as the JSSC-GCL that has been mired in controversy ever since it was conducted in January 2024 and even after it was re-administered eight months later after paper leak allegations.
Their mass protests beginning in late July culminated in a march to the state assembly in Ranchi last Monday, to which the police responded with lathi charge, tear gas and water cannons. A day prior, the state government had cancelled the outcome of the 14th JPSC prelims.
Though the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led state government has now decided to cancel the JSSC-CGL's results too, it had earlier demurred from doing this citing the state high court and the Supreme Court's involvement in the matter.
Aspirants who took the JSSC-CGL and have already been appointed to official posts have begun protesting the government's decision to cancel the exam's results. Youth affairs minister Sudivya Kumar said on Monday night that such persons are free to approach the courts for relief.
VIDEO | Ranchi: After the Jharkhand government's decision to cancel the JSSC CGL examination, appointed candidates who had served for months staged a protest at the Project Building.
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) pic.twitter.com/tg84ZA3ZJT
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 17, 2026
Speaking to reporters after his cabinet meeting, Soren said the outcome of all exams conducted by TDPL will stand cancelled. “Many shocking facts are emerging” amid the police's probe into the exam irregularities, he claimed, opting not to elaborate “because the matter is under investigation”.
TDPL, based in Lucknow, conducted the 14th JPSC prelims this April even though it was reportedly blacklisted by the JSSC in May last year, in addition to having been blacklisted in Uttar Pradesh too.
Among those who have been arrested during the police probe are JPSC chairman and former chief secretary L. Khaingte, who was picked up on August 10 after having resigned on July 22.
Jharkhand's protests take place after the Cockroach Janta Party-led youth protests centred in Delhi but occurring all over India, which primarily protested the repeat NEET-UG paper leak in May this year and resulted in Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan tendering his resignation, the first from the Narendra Modi cabinet since its formation in 2014 owing to public pressure.
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