After the Jharkhand government's decision to cancel the JSSC CGL examination, appointed candidates who had served for months staged a protest at the state secretariat in Ranchi.

This move of the CM Hemant Soren’s announced cancellation of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination has triggered a counter protest outside the Jharkhand Secretariat on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) with job aspirants who successfully cleared the State examination fearing that the latest decision would cost them their jobs.

These candidates, who are now government employees, say they are not opposed to an investigation into the alleged irregularities but demand a fair opportunity to defend themselves. Both the protesting aspirants and successful candidates of JSSC-CGL exam now demand a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.

However, Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar said the successful candidates could seek legal recourse, and JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey acknowledged their anguish, saying the party was sympathetic to them.

Meanwhile, the students protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations may take a call on withdrawing the demonstration on Tuesday (August 18, 2026). However, they seek clarity on certain demands even as JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch leader Ravindra Paswan said the agitation would continue as their key demand of a CBI probe into alleged examination irregularities had not been met.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination late on Monday (August 18, 2026), 24 days after students began the protest over irregularities in recruitment exams in the State. 

The CM Soren had promised to set up a committee under senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal to suggest reforms in the conduct of examinations in the State. 

Though student leader Devendra Mahto who had been on hunger strike for 16 days over the alleged exam irregularities, broke the fast around Monday midnight, while five others were continuing it, another major group under the JSPC and JSSC Manch continued agitation demanding CBI probe into irregularities in exams and selection process of the JPSC-JSSC.