Archive · 7 Aug 2026
19 arrested in Jharkhand civil service exam irregularities amid protests
Some tests for government jobs in a place called Jharkhand, in India, may not have been fair.
Because of this, the police have arrested 19 people.
Many students who took the test are very upset.
They are sitting together in a big stadium in Ranchi to protest.
The protest has been going on for about two weeks.
Some students are even not eating food to show how serious they are.
They want the test to be cancelled so it can be done again fairly.
They also want special detective groups, like the CBI and ED, to find out what went wrong.
The state government says it is checking the matter carefully.
A big leader named Rahul Gandhi talked to the students on the phone and told them he will do whatever he can to help.
Nineteen people have been arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in Jharkhand civil service examinations, minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey told ANI on Thursday.
Tirkey called the irregularities 'quite shameful' and said the coalition government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren is investigating the matter thoroughly.
Student protests in Jharkhand entered their 14th day on Friday, with a sit-in at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium and six demonstrators on fast.
Protesters are demanding cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission Combined Preliminary Test held on April 19 and independent CBI and Enforcement Directorate inquiries.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke by phone with student leader Ravindra Paswan, who asked him to take a clear stand on the protests.
- Who
- State minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey, Chief Minister Hemant Soren's coalition government, student leader Ravindra Paswan, protester delegations, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
- What
- Nineteen arrests for alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's civil service exams, along with student demands to cancel the preliminary test and order independent inquiries.
- When
- Arrests were announced on Thursday; protests began on July 25 and entered their 14th day on Friday; the disputed test was held on April 19.
- Where
- Jharkhand, India, with the student sit-in at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium.
- Why
- Protesters allege irregularities and a flourishing 'exam mafia' in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission.
Protesters / Students
State Government
Cancellation of the exam
Protesters / Students
Protesters demand the cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission Combined Preliminary Test held on April 19.
State Government
The state government says it is investigating the matter thoroughly and has arrested 19 people, but has not agreed to cancel the exam and has formed a ministerial committee for talks.
Nature of the investigation
Protesters / Students
Students want independent inquiries by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate into irregularities in JPSC and JSSC examinations, saying the 'exam mafia is flourishing'.
State Government
The coalition government led by Hemant Soren says it is probing the matter thoroughly and has set up a four-member ministerial committee to hold talks with the students.
- Arrests
- 19 persons
- State
- Jharkhand
- Chief Minister
- Hemant Soren
- Test in question
- 14th JPSC Combined Preliminary Test (held April 19)
- Protests began
- July 25
- Protest site
- Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, Ranchi
- Demonstrators on fast
- 6
- Key demands
- Cancellation of the test; CBI and Enforcement Directorate inquiries