Ranchi witnessed clashes between protesting students and police on Monday as thousands marched against alleged recruitment exam irregularities, with police using water cannons, tear gas and lathis.
BY PC Bureau
Ranchi/ August 10, 2026: A massive student protest over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations turned tense in Ranchi on Monday, with police using water cannons, tear gas and lathis after demonstrators broke through barricades near the state Assembly.
The confrontation unfolded as thousands of students from across Jharkhand gathered in the state capital, demanding action over alleged paper leaks and irregularities in examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
The agitation took another dramatic turn with the state CID arresting L. Khiangte, former chairperson of the JPSC, in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. Khiangte had resigned from the commission on July 22.
The arrest came on the 16th day of the student agitation, adding to the pressure on the Hemant Soren government to resolve the standoff.
Student leader Devendra Mahto, who has been on hunger strike, joined Monday’s march as protesters converged on the Assembly. Police had erected multiple layers of barricades to prevent the demonstrators from reaching the complex.
When protesters pushed through the security barriers, police responded with water cannons and tear gas before resorting to lathi-charge.
Despite the confrontation, some protesters appeared defiant, with groups dancing in the water cannon jets—a scene reminiscent of student protests during the NEET controversy in Patna.
“The government should listen to us and respond,” a protesting student told reporters.
Jharkhand’s JPSC-JSSC aspirants took their protest to the streets of Ranchi today, demanding action over alleged irregularities in recruitment exams.
Police responded as the march advanced with water cannons, tear gas and lathi-charge, while barbed-wire barricades were used… pic.twitter.com/jJe2mpiYZZ
— Palak (@palakgoyal694) August 10, 2026
Heavy security across Ranchi
The administration had made extensive security arrangements ahead of the march, anticipating a large turnout.
Barricades were placed at key intersections and along routes leading towards the Assembly, while additional police personnel were deployed across the city. Vehicles entering Ranchi were also subjected to checks at several points, including district borders and highways, amid efforts to control the influx of protesters.
Most schools in Ranchi remained closed as a precautionary measure.
The protests also acquired a political dimension on Monday, with BJP leaders staging a demonstration outside Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s residence and attacking the state government over its handling of the examination controversy.
Soren, however, has repeatedly maintained that the issue should be resolved through dialogue rather than confrontation.
“Dialogue, not batons” is the way to resolve the crisis, the Chief Minister has said, while assuring students that those responsible for examination irregularities would face strict action.
Students demand CBI probe
The student movement began primarily over allegations of paper leaks and other irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the JPSC and JSSC.
Students have demanded a CBI investigation and cancellation of 13 recruitment examinations that they allege were compromised.
The government maintains that it has accepted around 98 per cent of the students’ demands and has agreed to cancel three examinations.
However, the concessions have failed to satisfy the protesters, who have continued their agitation and hunger strike.
Six protesters are currently on hunger strike, according to the student groups.
Multiple rounds of negotiations between representatives of the protesters and a government-appointed panel have failed to produce a settlement. The latest, the sixth round of talks, was held on Sunday but did not break the deadlock.
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Three JPSC members resign
The controversy deepened further on Sunday when three members of the JPSC resigned after being summoned by the CID as part of its investigation into the alleged examination irregularities.
The arrest of former JPSC chairperson Khiangte and the resignations of the three commission members have added to mounting scrutiny of the state’s recruitment examination system.
The government has sought to assure students that the investigation will be pursued and that anyone found responsible will face consequences.
For the protesters, however, the government’s assurances have not addressed their central demand for an independent investigation and cancellation of all examinations they believe were affected.
With the agitation entering its third week and Monday’s confrontation bringing students and police face-to-face, pressure is mounting on the state government to find a political and administrative solution before the protests escalate further.
