After Delhi’s ‘Cockroach’ revolt, exam protests spread to Jharkhand

Delhi’s “cockroach” protest movement has sparked similar demonstrations in Jharkhand, India, over alleged irregularities in government recruitment examinations. Protests in the capital, Ranchi, began on July 29, following a youth-led movement in New Delhi that forced the resignation of the national education minister. At least six protesters in Jharkhand are now on hunger strike, including student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has fasted for over a week.

He urged for a complete overhaul of the system, particularly the use of a private company to conduct the tests.

Hundreds of police with barbed-wire barricades patrolled the state assembly grounds, as talks between protesters and the government remained unsuccessful. Thousands of students chanted slogans en route to the assembly, demanding the cancellation of several examinations conducted by a private company on behalf of the state government. They also seek a federal police investigation into the conduct of these examinations.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren attempted to quell the protests by partially conceding some demands, while several members of the civil service overseeing the exams resigned. Soren emphasized that every issue can be resolved through dialogue. The New Delhi protesters, organized by the online Cockroach Janta Party, had rallied for 36 days over alleged flaws in India’s examination system, culminating in the resignation of the then education minister, which turned examination integrity into a major political issue.

The Jharkhand protests mirror these demands, reflecting the broader frustration among young Indians who view government examinations as a crucial pathway to employment in a nation where millions vie for limited public-sector jobs. The New Delhi protests threatened Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, but the Jharkhand rallies specifically seek reform from the state government, which is the opposition to the BJP.