Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Why Bihar and Jharkhand protesters are asking for water cannons
Many students in the Indian states of Jharkhand and Bihar are upset.
They think some big exams for government jobs were not fair.
They are asking for the exams to be checked by an outside team, like the CBI.
Some exams had problems, and students want them cancelled.
When police use water cannons to push crowds back, some students dance in the water and joke about it.
They say the weather is very hot, so the water feels nice.
Police have also used tear gas and sticks to break up the crowds.
Videos of students enjoying the water sprays are being shared on social media.
The students say they will keep asking for fair and transparent exams.
Students and job aspirants have protested in Ranchi since 25 July over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
Protesters demand transparency, reforms in JPSC and JSSC, cancellation of several examinations and an independent investigation by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state.
On Monday evening, police used lathi-charge, tear gas and water cannons as thousands of students marched toward the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi.
In Bihar, protests erupted on 23 July in Katihar, Darbhanga and Begusarai against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, and Patna students protested over the NEET paper leak.
Videos circulated on social media showed protesters dancing under water-cannon sprays, joking about the hot weather and taking a bath on Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's birthday.
- Who
- Students and job aspirants in Jharkhand and Bihar; Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was referenced by protesters during the demonstrations.
- What
- Protests over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by JPSC and JSSC, during which protesters asked for water cannons and danced in their sprays.
- When
- Protests in Ranchi began on 25 July; Bihar protests took place on 23 July; the escalation involving lathi-charge, tear gas and water cannons occurred on a Monday evening.
- Where
- Ranchi, near the Jharkhand Assembly, in Jharkhand; and Katihar, Darbhanga, Begusarai and Patna in Bihar.
- Why
- To demand transparency in recruitment examinations, reforms in JPSC and JSSC, cancellation of several exams and an independent investigation by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges.
Protesters
Authorities
Recruitment exam fairness
Protesters
Students allege irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations and demand cancellation of several exams, transparency and an independent CBI or retired judges' panel investigation.
Authorities
Authorities have not met the demands, and police dispersed marchers with lathi-charge, tear gas and water cannons after the situation escalated.
Water cannon use
Protesters
Protesters mocked and welcomed the water cannons, dancing in the spray, taking baths and joking that the government arranged water because of the heat.
Authorities
Police deployed water cannons as a crowd-control measure to disperse protesters, including on the evening of the march toward the Jharkhand Assembly.
- Protest locations
- Ranchi (Jharkhand); Patna, Katihar, Darbhanga, Begusarai (Bihar)
- Protest start
- 25 July in Ranchi; 23 July in Bihar
- Target bodies
- Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC)
- Key demands
- Transparency, JPSC/JSSC reforms, exam cancellations, independent CBI or retired judges' panel probe
- Police response
- Lathi-charge, tear gas and water cannons near the Jharkhand Assembly
- Jharkhand CM mentioned
- Hemant Soren
- Patna context
- Protests over the NEET paper leak