“I am 30 years old and have been preparing for JPSC-JSSC examinations for the past five years. I don’t know what will happen to me. Exams in Jharkhand are not conducted on time, and whenever an exam is held, allegations of fraud and irregularities emerge.”
“I have started worrying that I may cross the age limit before getting a chance. I come from a farmer’s family and take up small jobs to pay for examination forms. Now I don’t know whether I will ever get a government job.”
These are the words of Ravi, who travelled from Koderma to join the protest in Ranchi. While explaining the uncertainty faced by thousands of government-job aspirants in Jharkhand.
Students say, “Our daily routine revolves around studies, group discussions and mock tests, but the uncertainty over examinations and recruitment has taken an emotional toll.”
Many protesters said, “While we spend our days preparing for exams, we struggle to face our parents at night. Our parents’ expressions often seem to carry one unanswered question that when will we get a job?”
Before reading the students’ stories, see the pictures of the assembly gherao….
Students from across the state surrounded the assembly.
Thousands of students who arrived chanted slogans loudly during the protest.
Barricades were set up with barbed wire to prevent students from reaching the assembly.
Students also protested in various costumes during the siege.
9 years passed preparing, but didn’t get a job
Gorelal, who travelled from Koderma to join the protest, said he has been preparing for JPSC and JSSC examinations since 2017. He has appeared for two JPSC Civil Services examinations — the 7th to 10th and 11th to 14th editions — besides taking the JSSC CGL examination.
He said, “Allegations of malpractice have surfaced around every examination that I have appeared for, making it difficult for aspirants like me to secure selection.”
He added, “Most aspirants rely on self-study and group study rather than expensive coaching. Even then, we spend around ₹1,000 to ₹1,200 every month on study material, magazines and other preparation resources.”
According to him, “The prolonged wait for recruitment has created financial pressure as well as social and mental stress among aspirants.”
He further said, “We want every examination to be investigated. Since 2020, some form of irregularity has emerged in almost every examination conducted in the state.”
He stated, “Many aspirants have now crossed the age of 30, while the pace of government recruitment remains slow. With age limits becoming a growing concern, the hope of securing a government job is gradually fading.”
How Many Demands of the Students Were Met?
| Students’ Demand | Government’s Stance | Status / Outcome |
| Cancel 14th JPSC | PT (Preliminary Test) cancelled | Met |
| Conduct a CBI probe | Ready for CID/ED probe | Pending |
| Cancel CGL exam | Ready for an inquiry by a retired judge | Pending |
| Cancel exams conducted by TDPL agency | Cancelled | Met |
| Complete probe into exam scams within 90 days | CID will conduct the probe | Met |
| Cancel JPSC backlog exams 2023 and 2025 | Exams cancelled | Met |
Irregularities occur in every competitive exam in Jharkhand
Rishabh, who came from Godda to join the movement said, “I have been preparing for competitive exams for the last four years. During this period, I appeared in more than six exams. After taking the exam, when the cutoff was released, I would immediately know that there was some malpractice in the exam. Now I feel like giving up everything and not taking any exams at all as I am starting to feel disheartened.”
He further said, “Now I am afraid to go to my parents. Preparing for exams has started to feel like a burden. My father works in a private job. To cover the expenses of exam preparation, he teaches tuition to children.”
He added, “The government should conduct exams even for 500 posts, but it should do so properly. At least the exam should be genuine. Here, dishonesty has reached its peak.”
During the protest, students were holding various types of posters in their hands.
My mental state has become such that I have to cry myself to sleep every night.
Sanoj Mandal, who came from Mahagama said, “Exams here are not conducted on time and properly. If we talk about JSSC-CGL, its syllabus is such that you cannot prepare for any other exam. I have been preparing for competitive exams since completing my graduation. For the last six years, I have been solely focused on preparing for JSSC exams.”
He added, “If the exam were conducted fairly, I could have been a ranker. Recently, I took the Field Worker exam, in which I scored 82 percent marks, but despite that, I could not get selected.”
He further said, “I have appeared in almost all JSSC examinations. Now my mental state has become such that I have to sleep crying every night. Our father is a farmer, while my elder brother does a private job. It is only with the help of my elder brother that I have been able to prepare for the exams until now.”
