Jharkhand Protest: JPSC, JSSC Aspirants Burn Effigies of Hemant Soren, Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav Across 24 Districts (Video)
JPSC and JSSC aspirants intensified their statewide protest in Jharkhand on Sunday, burning effigies of CM Hemant Soren, LoP Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav at all 24 district headquarters. On the 23rd day of protests in Ranchi, they accused the ruling coalition of failing to address paper leaks, administrative lapses and alleged corruption in recruitment exams.
Agitating aspirants from the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) escalated their statewide demonstration on Sunday by burning effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav across all 24 district headquarters in Jharkhand. Marking the 23rd consecutive day of their ongoing protest in Ranchi, the youth leaders condemned the ruling coalition and its allies for failing to resolve systemic paper leaks, administrative oversights, and alleged corruption in state recruitment examinations.
The central hub of the agitation remained Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, where several student leaders have been conducting an indefinite hunger strike. Protesters expressed deep resentment toward Chief Minister Hemant Soren, accusing his administration of shielding senior officials and offering cosmetic concessions rather than complete institutional accountability. The decision to target senior Opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav stems from what student representatives called "political double standards" and "silence on student grievances" from key constituents of the INDIA bloc governing alliance. Devendra Mahto Stopped from Attending Ranchi Tiranga Yatra Amid JPSC Protests (Video).
While the Jharkhand government recently announced the cancellation of the preliminary 14th JPSC Civil Services exam and two backlog tests following intense public pressure, the student unions have refused to call off their demonstration. The agitators maintain that their core demands—including the immediate cancellation of the disputed JSSC-CGL (Combined Graduate Level) examination and an independent investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)—remain unaddressed.
Tensions in the state capital have continued to rise over the past week following clashes between police personnel and student marches. The deployment of water cannons, tear gas, and lathi-charges during earlier marches to the Jharkhand Assembly drew widespread criticism from civil rights groups and opposition parties. Health concerns have also escalated among hunger-striking student leaders, including Prem Nayak and Devendra Nath Mahto, prompting frequent medical interventions by local authorities. Face-off in Ranchi as ABVP Stages Major Protest March to Assembly over Exam Irregularities.
JPSC, JSSC Aspirants Burn Effigies of Soren, Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi
#WATCH | Ranchi, Jharkhand | Protest by JPSC-JSSC aspirants | Students protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment examinations burn the effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. pic.twitter.com/lFNMd2FA2r
— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2026
Student organizations have warned that if Chief Minister Hemant Soren does not agree to a direct, transparent dialogue to meet their pending demands, they will launch a "Gherao" (encirclement) of the Chief Minister’s official residence on August 20, alongside a potential statewide educational shutdown.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 16, 2026 07:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
