Jharkhand protests: Three, including Devendra Mahto, call off hunger strike; say ‘struggle for reform’ will continue

Jharkhand Protests: Hunger Strike Called Off After Exam Cancellation

Theindiapostdaily.com – The Jharkhand protests that gripped the state for weeks reached a decisive turning point on Tuesday when student leader Devendra Mahto, along with two fellow demonstrators, ended a sixteen-day hunger strike. The decision came immediately after the state government announced it would cancel the JSSC-CGL examination and every other test administered within the state by TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL). For those following the Jharkhand protests closely, the move represented the single most consequential concession the administration had made since the agitation began.

Mahto broke his fast alongside Umme Habiba and Rahul Kranti in a brief ceremony attended by state ministers Dipika Pandey Singh and Irfan Ansari. The three had been fasting without food for sixteen days, pressing the government to address systemic irregularities in the state’s public-examination pipeline.

Mahto Credits Leadership for a Bold Decision

In remarks delivered immediately after ending the fast, Mahto directed gratitude toward Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, and the two attending ministers for acceding to what he called the students’ core demands. He acknowledged the political difficulty of the choice while framing it as necessary.

“I thank the Jharkhand government for showing the courage to make such a significant decision—cancelling an exam was a massive challenge. It was not an easy call, given that the recruitment process for the JSSC CGL examination had already reached the joining stage and many students had likely already secured their positions. Yet, considering the critical situation, the government took this bold step for the students.”

The Broader Reform Agenda Remains Intact

Mahto was careful to stress that ending the fast does not signal the conclusion of the wider campaign. He outlined a long-term vision in which paper leaks and administrative irregularities are eliminated from the examination pipeline entirely, so that future generations of candidates never face the same pressures that drove the current Jharkhand protests.

“I envision an education system where paper leaks and irregularities do not occur—a system that guarantees that children currently in primary or secondary school would not have to make such sacrifices or fight such battles when they eventually appear for JPSC or JSSC exams.”

He added that