The protest over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations has intensified with PhysicsWallah founder and educator Alakh Pandey supporting the protesting students and pressing for a CBI investigation. Ranchi’s rebellion is going on for the 21st day and students continue to question the recruitment process and demand that the state government do more.
The protests were fuelled by complaints of malpractice and irregular recruitment exams by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). Students have also expressed anger at the ongoing investigation through the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and feel the central agency should be responsible for the investigation and accountability of all such allegations.
Alakh Pandey told IANS that he had seen the distress of students involved in the agitation. Many of the students involved in the demonstrations are in distress, he added. Several students were on hunger strike and a number have been hospitalised as their health deteriorated. Pandey said the seriousness of the allegations demands that authorities take action rather than let students remain uncertain about the recruitment process.
Pandey also raised the students’ concerns on alleged question-paper leaks and manipulation of recruitment exams. He said students were increasingly waiting for examination results, and not for paper leaks and questions around the selection process. He welcomed the action taken by the Jharkhand government in connection with the JPSC examination but said students were looking for a similar swift action in the JSSC matter.
The most serious allegations that Pandey spoke about were related to the recruitment process for the JSSC. He said that out of nearly 1,900 available posts, nearly 400 could be linked to a single family or individual involved in selling seats. Such allegations were raised by the protest and are under investigation and verification by the authorities. A thorough investigation would be needed to establish whether there was any wrongdoing and who is to blame if the allegations were proven.
The students have made a CBI investigation one of their key demands. They believe such an inquiry by an agency outside of the state investigative apparatus would give them more confidence and would help to establish the facts surrounding the alleged irregularities. The state government has suggested, though, a committee headed by a retired judge, which makes the two sides disagree.
A major development took place on August 9, when representatives of the protesting students held talks with the state government. In these talks, the government listened to the students' request to scrap the 14th JPSC examination. But the two sides could not reach any agreement on the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination.
The protesting candidates have also insisted that all other TDPL examinations should also be cancelled. Their position is consistent with the demand that there is a comprehensive review of the recruitment process and stronger controls on purported manipulation was also required. The JSSC-CGL examination has thus been a major dispute.
The agitation continued on August 13 when students announced plans to organise a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ in Ranchi on Independence Day, August 15. The march will help to heighten the protest and bring attention to their demands. The students have also warned the Jharkhand government against FIRs against candidates involved in what they describe as a legitimate movement.
Ranchi, Jharkhand: PhysicsWallah founder and Educator Alakh Pandey says, "There are a lot of students here who are deeply distressed. Many students are sitting on hunger strike, and some have even been admitted to the hospital as their health is deteriorating. There has been… pic.twitter.com/Zze9maTT7U
— IANS (@ians_india) August 13, 2026
As the protest continues, the issue has become a major recruitment and examination controversy in the state. For thousands of candidates, the dispute is not only about individual examinations but also about confidence in the fairness and transparency of government recruitment.
Alakh Pandey’s intervention has further expanded the visibility of students’ campaign. His support for a CBI inquiry will make public attention to the allegations and government response more forthcoming. The authorities will need to respond to the protesting candidates’ concerns and to ensure that any investigation is credible, transparent and capable of establishing the facts.
Now students are preparing for the Tiranga Yatra on August 15. It is clear that the state government and protesters will find some common ground on the JSSC-CGL examination, the proposed inquiry mechanism and the rest of the demands. The JPSC-JSSC dispute is likely to be a significant issue for all aspiring government jobs in Jharkhand until a solution is reached.
