Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto was hospitalised on Monday, August 10, after his health deteriorated while participating in a student march to the Jharkhand Assembly, where aspirants were protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
Mahto had been on a nine-day hunger strike demanding action over alleged irregularities in examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), including a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.
Doctors at Ranchi Sadar Hospital said his blood sugar had dropped “drastically” and described his condition as critical; he was being treated in the emergency ward, according to medical officer Nancy Priya.
The development came as police used water cannons, tear gas and lathi-charge to disperse protesters attempting to move towards the Assembly. Police said 14 personnel were injured, while protesters and Opposition leaders accused the administration of using excessive force.
The state government maintains that it has accepted most of the students’ demands, including cancelling three JPSC examinations and ordering further investigations, but students say key demands particularly a CBI probe and action concerning the JSSC-CGL examination remain unresolved. An Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into alleged irregularities has also added a new dimension to the controversy.
Mahto’s Health Takes A Turn
Mahto joined the protesters’ ‘Vidhan Sabha Gherao’ march despite his deteriorating health and reportedly reached the protest site in an ambulance. Speaking to reporters, he said he would continue his fast and urged the government to listen to the protesting aspirants.
His condition worsened during the mobilisation and he was subsequently taken to Ranchi Sadar Hospital. Doctors said his blood sugar level had fallen drastically and he required emergency treatment.
The march followed several rounds of talks between student representatives and the state government that failed to resolve the core disagreements. Police had deployed additional personnel and erected barricades around the Assembly. When protesters attempted to move through the security cordon, police used water cannons, tear gas and batons to disperse them.
Ranchi police said personnel were injured during the confrontation and that CCTV footage would be examined to identify those allegedly involved in damaging barricades or disrupting the protest. Protesters, meanwhile, have alleged excessive use of force. These competing accounts remain part of the developing dispute.
The agitation has also put Mahto’s health at the centre of the movement. His aide alleged that he was injured during the police action, although the medical account publicly reported so far specifically points to his drastically reduced blood sugar as the immediate reason for emergency treatment. The available reporting does not establish that the police action caused his medical deterioration.
Why Are Students Still Protesting?
The agitation began over allegations concerning the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination but has since broadened into a wider dispute over recruitment transparency, examination agencies and the credibility of the state’s recruitment system.
Candidates have raised questions over the examination process, including the publication of cut-offs, the merit list and alleged discrepancies involving OMR-related material. These remain allegations and are being examined through investigations.
The controversy has also brought scrutiny on TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL), an examination agency associated with the recruitment process. The wider investigation has resulted in action involving JPSC officials and others.
JPSC chairman L Khiangte resigned amid the controversy, while three other commission members Ajita Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda and Jamal Ahmed also resigned, with their resignations accepted by Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar. The resignations, however, should not themselves be treated as proof of wrongdoing.
The government says it has already taken significant steps. State minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu has maintained that most of the students’ demands have been addressed, including the cancellation of three JPSC examinations and further investigation into the allegations.
The government has also proposed measures to strengthen recruitment procedures. Students, however, dispute the government’s assessment and continue to demand a CBI investigation, greater transparency and action on other examinations, including JSSC-CGL. The disagreement over the CBI probe has emerged as the biggest sticking point.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The Jharkhand recruitment controversy is ultimately about more than an examination result. For thousands of aspirants, government recruitment tests represent years of preparation, financial investment and, often, a limited number of opportunities because of age restrictions. When candidates begin to question whether an examination was fair, the most important response should be transparency, evidence and dialogue not an escalation of confrontation.
At the same time, allegations should not automatically become verdicts: investigations must establish facts, responsibility must be determined through due process, and claims made on social media must be independently verified.
Also read: JPSC-JSSC Protest Turns Tense In Ranchi; BJP Calls Jharkhand Bandh After Police Action
