The struggle against India's examination systems intensifies again

Police have used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters demanding reforms in the public service appointment examination system in Jharkhand, an eastern state of India. Police took this action to control thousands of students, job seekers, and representatives of volunteer organizations who attempted to march towards the legislative assembly in Ranchi, the state capital.

It is reported that several people were injured during these incidents, and the official number of injured has not yet been confirmed.

Protesters have been continuously agitating for over two weeks, demanding a complete overhaul of the public examination system conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). Authorities stated that during the protesters' attempt to break through police barricades, baton charges, water cannons, and tear gas were used to disperse the crowd. Ranchi City Senior Superintendent of Police Paras Rana stated that about 90% of the protesters behaved peacefully, but a small group broke barricades and threw stones at officers, injuring three police officers.

The Superintendent of Police pointed out that since the protesters were students, the police acted with great patience and used minimal force for a very short period, appealing to them to remain peaceful as their demands were being addressed by the government. This Jharkhand protest has intensified weeks after thousands of youths attempted to march towards the national parliament in New Delhi, following incidents of leaked examination papers. The five-week protest, launched by the non-political party "Cockroach Jana Paksha" (CJP), which received support from students across the country, was suspended on July 25 after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.

According to visuals from Ranchi city, thousands of protesters, police, and journalists remain on the streets, and security in the area has been tightened. Despite police requests to disperse, a large crowd continues to remain at the location. Since July 25, some of the Jharkhand protesters gathered at a stadium in Ranchi have been spending nights outdoors, while several others are on a hunger strike.

Although several demands were agreed upon during multiple discussions with the government, protesters emphasize that they will not stop their struggle until all demands are met. The preliminary civil services examination conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) in April was the immediate cause of these protests. After the examination results were released in July, answer sheets circulated on social media revealed that some successful candidates had answered significantly fewer questions than expected. This led to widespread suspicion and protest regarding the examination results.

The state government has assured that justice will be served to the students, and investigations into examination irregularities are being conducted by the Jharkhand Criminal Investigation Department (CID). More than twelve individuals have been arrested in connection with these investigations. Students have also questioned the selection process of the private company that managed certain parts of the examination process, and this matter is also under the attention of the investigators.

Following discussions with protesters on Sunday, the government agreed to cancel the relevant examination and two other examinations. Additionally, three members of the JPSC resigned, and prior to that, its chairman, L. Khiangte, resigned on July 22. The former chairman, who was under investigation, was arrested on Monday. However, protesters state that several key demands, including an investigation into these irregularities through the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India's main federal investigative agency, have not yet been met.

Unlike the Cockroach Jana Paksha protest, which began without political interference, this struggle in Ranchi has received strong political support. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the opposition in Jharkhand state, supports the protesters, holding rallies and raising the issue in the state assembly, demanding a federal investigation. The Congress Party, a partner in the state government but a main rival of the BJP at the central level, has also expressed support for the students. Hemant Soren, leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party and state Chief Minister, alleges that some groups are trying to destabilize democracy in the state. He warned against politicizing this student struggle and reiterated his promise to take steps to ensure justice.