India police fire tear gas at protesters seeking exam reforms
Police in India have fired tear gas shells on protesters demanding reforms to recruitment exams in the eastern state of Jharkhand.
Indian police deployed tear gas against protesters in the eastern state of Jharkhand demanding reforms to the examination system. Hundreds of students, job seekers, and volunteers have been attempting to reach the state assembly in the capital, Ranchi, to demonstrate their grievances. The protests have persisted for over two weeks, with injured protesters reported, though the exact count remains unknown.
The movement has been ongoing since 25 July, with demonstrators calling for a thorough overhaul of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) exam system. The immediate catalyst for the unrest is alleged irregularities in a preliminary civil service exam conducted by the JPSC in April. Suspicions arose when leaked answer sheets suggested that some successful candidates had answered significantly fewer questions than required, raising concerns of manipulated results.
The state government has pledged to investigate the matter and restore justice. Police spokesperson Paras Rana acknowledged that most protesters had been peaceful but accused a smaller faction of breaching police barriers and throwing stones at officers. Rana reported that three policemen were injured during the confrontations. He emphasized that police forces maintained restraint and employed "minimal force for a very short time" given the protesters' status as students.
While the protests echo similar nationwide "cockroach" movements targeting exam paper leaks, the Ranchi demonstrations have garnered significant political backing. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the opposition in Jharkhand, has actively supported the students, staging protests and raising the issue in the state assembly. The Congress party, a partner in the state government but a rival to the BJP nationally, has also shown support for the students.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, head of the regional Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), accused certain vested interests of attempting to undermine democracy and vowed to address the protesters' demands.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
