Protestors reach State Assembly premises; police use tear gas, water cannons

Police used water cannons, lobbed tear gas shells, and lathi-charged job aspirants as they breached barricades and attempted to reach the State Assembly, protesting the recruitment exam irregularities. Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for nine days in protest against exam irregularities, also joined the march, despite losing 10.5 kg. He was seen carrying a portrait of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren.

The Jharkhand government on Sunday (August 9, 2026) agreed to cancel the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) preliminary examination and the JPSC backlog examinations held in 2023 and 2025 following six hours of discussions with protesting student groups. However, the students remained firm on their demand for a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the JSSC-CGL examination and said the agitation would continue. The announcement came even as all three JPSC members resigned and Chief Minister Hemant Soren assured protesters that “justice will be delivered with full transparency”.

Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) and JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, said they want cancellation of JSSC-CGL and all exams connected to the TSR Data Processing Private Limited Agency, a blacklisted entity.