Ranchi, August 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The protest by JPSC-JSSC aspirants in Jharkhand intensified on Monday as thousands of students marching towards the state Assembly breached police barricades, prompting security forces to deploy water cannons.
The protesters, who gathered to press for action over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), continued towards the New Assembly building despite the security arrangements. One protester was seen climbing onto a police barricade as the march gained momentum.
Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who is participating in the agitation despite his deteriorating health, said the future of students was more important to him than his own condition.
“The future of the students here is being compromised, which is more painful than my health. It is deeply painful,” Mahto said.
He said the indefinite hunger strike by student leaders would continue until their demands were addressed.
“The hunger strike is still going on, and it will continue. We are heading towards the Assembly right now. The government should wake up and respond to the concerns of students,” he said.
Protester Chandan Kumar said student representatives had held discussions with ministers over the previous two days. He claimed that around 80 per cent of their demands had been accepted, while issues including cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination and recruitment backlogs from 2023 to 2025 remained unresolved.
Political activity also intensified. BJP Jharkhand president Aditya Sahu, Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi, party MLAs and workers staged a sit-in outside Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s residence. Police subsequently detained those participating in the demonstration.
BJP Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam said the students’ concerns should be considered sympathetically.
City SP Paras Rana said the police were prepared to handle any situation but would maintain restraint if the protesters remained peaceful.
“We have not prepared to stop the gherao. We have prepared for any violent situation or if someone tries to create a ruckus. If students come peacefully, the police will also remain peaceful,” Rana said.
Jharkhand Minister Deepika Pandey Singh said students would be allowed to protest peacefully and assured that pellet guns, tear gas and lathi-charge would not be used. She said the government had held discussions with student representatives for several hours over four days and accepted nearly all demands falling within its jurisdiction.
However, Singh said the demand for cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination was connected to judicial directives and could not be decided solely by the state government.
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