Tension Escalates in Ranchi as Students March to Assembly

Ranchi witnessed high drama on Monday as thousands of student protesters tried to march towards the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly. The demonstrators, mainly aspirants of JPSC and JSSC recruitment exams, were stopped by heavy police deployment. When the crowd attempted to breach barricades near the Jagannath Mandir area in Dhurwa, police used water cannons and lathicharge to control the situation.

Heavy Security Arrangements

Security forces had made elaborate arrangements with three layers of barricades, barbed wires and drone surveillance. Jharkhand Armed Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in large numbers. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS were in force within 750 metres of the Assembly complex. Despite these measures, determined protesters pushed forward and managed to break the first line of defence.

Why Are Students Protesting?

The agitation is against alleged large-scale irregularities and question paper leaks in exams conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). Student leaders have made it clear that they will not end the protest until their core demands are met.

Key Demands of the Protesters

  • Immediate CBI inquiry into the alleged paper leak in the JSSC-CGL examination
  • Complete cancellation of exams linked to blacklisted agencies like TSR Data Processing
  • Strict legal action against officials and private vendors involved in the irregularities

Government Response and Student Stand

The Jharkhand government had earlier agreed to cancel the 14th JPSC preliminary examination and some backlog exams after marathon talks. Three JPSC board members also resigned. However, student leaders including Ravindra Paswan and Devendra Nath Mahto (who joined the march after a prolonged hunger strike) insisted that the protest will continue until a central agency probe is ordered.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren has appealed to students not to be misled and assured that the government is taking multi-pronged action including CID and judicial inquiries. Opposition parties, meanwhile, have increased pressure on the state government demanding greater transparency.

Situation Remains Tense

The protest has entered a crucial phase with both sides holding firm. While the government claims it has already taken major steps, students say only a CBI investigation can restore faith in the recruitment system. The situation in Ranchi continues to remain under close watch.