Jharkhand cancels contested exam as protests continue

The Jharkhand government on Monday, August 17, 2026, cancelled the controversial Combined Graduate Level examination and all recruitment activities handled by a private firm, following 24 days of sustained student protests. Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the decision after a Cabinet meeting, marking a significant development in the agitation but failing to end it, as protesters maintained their demand for a central agency investigation.

The cancellation includes the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission CGL exam and all examinations, results, and candidate selections processed through Technical Development and Planning Limited (TDPL). Soren stated that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) would probe all TDPL-related examinations conducted since 2014, and a separate inquiry led by a retired judge would examine alleged irregularities. The Chief Minister acknowledged that standard operating procedures for exams had not been properly followed and affirmed a commitment to transparent reforms. Senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal will lead the reform initiative, and a portal has been established to gather student grievances.

The announcement came as student protests...