For thousands of young people preparing for government examinations, a recruitment process is more than a test—it is a long investment of time, money, and hope. The JPSC-JSSC Reform Forum has now given the Chief Minister Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand government until October 18 to act on its demands, warning that failure to see concrete measures could lead to a statewide Student Mahapanchayat.

From a 26-day agitation to another deadline

The forum says students had earlier staged a 26-day agitation over alleged examination irregularities, including claims of paper leaks and shortcomings in the selection process. The agitation was suspended in August after students were given two months, according to the forum, to allow reforms to be pursued. Students now say the expected progress has not materialised.

What the students are asking for

The demands focus substantially on transparency. The forum wants JPSC and JSSC to reduce dependence on outsourcing agencies and strengthen their own technical, financial and physical infrastructure. It has sought publication of cut-offs at every stage, scorecards showing raw and normalised marks, disclosure of the normalisation formula, and timely online access to OMR sheets and answer scripts.

It has also demanded manual evaluation of JPSC mains copies with digitally accessible evaluated copies, publicly available SOPs, effective candidate helpdesks and safeguards concerning appointments to the commissions.

Jobs, calendars and eligibility

The forum has called for calendars and notifications for pending recruitments, including stenographers, LDC, police and sub-inspector posts. It has also sought age-limit relief, changes to physical-test standards and financial assistance for families of candidates who died during the excise constable examination.

What October 18 could signify

If the forum's demands do not see what it considers concrete action by October 18, students from different districts are expected to gather for a Mahapanchayat and decide the next course of agitation.

A message beyond the protest

A fair recruitment system is ultimately measured not by how many examinations it conducts, but by how much confidence candidates can place in the process. For every young person preparing for a government job, transparency is not a favour—it is the foundation on which merit can be trusted.

Source: https://www.amarujala.com/jharkhand/ranchi/the-student-mahapanchayat-and-the-jpsc-jssc-reform-forum-have-warned-of-a-protest-if-their-demands-are-not-met-by-october-18-ranchi-news-c-1-1-noi1475-4785316-2026-10-01