The other Jharkhand story: They fought odds, cleared prelims, but exam got cancelled

The Jharkhand government's decision to cancel the 14th JPSC Combined Civil Services examination has been seen as a victory by protesters in the region. However, for over 2,200 candidates who had cleared the preliminary round, this announcement brings a major setback. The Indian Express spoke to eight such aspirants, including an engineer who gave up a job, an Adivasi woman who put her work aside to prepare, and a wheelchair-bound candidate who had spent years studying.

They all expressed their disappointment, emphasizing that while they support actions against paper leaks, cancelling the exam without a comprehensive investigation goes against logic. The examination, announced in January for 103 posts, had its preliminary round on April 19, and the result was announced on July 2. A total of 2,204 candidates qualified for the main examination, but the cancellation forced them to go through the process again, dealing with the uncertainty that comes with it.