Dozens of students and job aspirants have been protesting since 25 July at a stadium in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, demanding an overhaul of the state's government examination system. Some protesters have been sleeping outdoors and several have gone on hunger strike.

The movement follows weeks after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in Delhi, with the independent youth group now announcing support for the Jharkhand protests. However, many protesters insist the movement remains independent and are cautious about political affiliations.

A 27-year-old protester from a farming family in Bokaro, who has spent years preparing for Jharkhand's civil service examination, said, "We will not leave until we get it, even if it costs us our lives."

Deepika Pandey Singh, a minister in the Jharkhand government, told the BBC that the state had begun investigating allegations related to the examination system even before the current protests began.

Officials noted that since Jharkhand was created in 2000, the civil service examination has been advertised only three times, despite hundreds of government posts remaining vacant.

The protesters seek justice and systemic reform to address the recruitment issues affecting thousands of job seekers in the state.

Sources