Activist and JPSC-JSSC aspirant leader Devendra Nath Mahato on Monday ended his hunger strike after the Jharkhand government announced the cancellation of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination and all recruitment processes conducted through TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL).
Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the decisions on Monday, saying all examinations conducted by TDPL and the results published by the company would stand cancelled.
"All examinations conducted by TDPL and the results published by it are now cancelled. Examinations and recruitment conducted through TDPL stand cancelled," Soren said.
Reacting to the announcement, Mahato thanked students, parents, teachers, media personnel, police, administrative officials and the Jharkhand government for supporting the agitation.
"This is a major announcement in the interest of students, and it comes as a direct result of their relentless struggle. It is a victory for student activism, serving as an answer to those who question what peaceful protests can achieve," Mahato said.
He said the cancellation of the examination demonstrated the power of collective action, noting that the examination had not received relief through the courts but was ultimately cancelled following the student movement.
"Just as movements won our nation's independence and created the separate state of Jharkhand, the power of collective action has now delivered a victory for our students," he said.
Mahato had earlier said his hunger strike would continue in support of justice and the rights of JPSC-JSSC aspirants.
"My efforts are not limited to the present agitation. I want concrete reforms in the education system so that future generations do not have to struggle in this manner for their rights and access to better education," he had said.
Following the government's announcement, however, Mahato decided to end his hunger strike while making it clear that the broader demand for systemic reforms would continue.
"We are grateful that the students' concerns were taken seriously and our demands were fulfilled. Most importantly, the investigation is being conducted meticulously, those involved in corruption are being apprehended, and efforts are underway to reach the masterminds behind these gangs," he said.
Soren said investigations by the CID and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had uncovered several "incriminating facts".
He said some people recruited through the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission were being arrested in connection with alleged fraud and examination rigging.
"All examinations conducted since 2014 will be investigated by the CID," Soren said.
A separate inquiry into the alleged irregularities will also be conducted by a committee headed by a retired judge, the Chief Minister said.
Soren acknowledged that the government already had a standard operating procedure for conducting recruitment examinations but said it had not been properly followed.
He also announced that senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal would head the government's examination reform initiative.
The Chief Minister said the government had already enacted an anti-paper-leak law to protect students' interests and would continue to introduce reforms aimed at ensuring transparency in recruitment examinations.
While thanking those who supported the agitation, Mahato said the cancellation of the examination was only one step towards addressing the larger problems in the state's education and recruitment system.
"I extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to all the students, parents, respected teachers, and members of the press and media for making this possible," he said.
He also thanked administrative officials, medical teams, sanitation workers, those who participated in hunger strikes and delegates who presented the students' arguments during three rounds of talks with the government.
Mahato said the students would continue pushing for a recruitment and education system that could prevent paper leaks, malpractice and favouritism.
"What we truly need is a robust education and recruitment system that guarantees paper leaks, malpractices, and favoritism will never happen again, even if that requires a constitutional amendment. We will continue our movement until such systemic educational reforms are fully realised," he said.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
