Taking reforms to the road: From Ranchi protest to a Statewide yatra

Just six days after student protests ended in Ranchi, Jharkhand, Devendra Nath Mahto, a 34-year-old student leader of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha, embarked on a yatra. Mahto had participated in a 16-day hunger strike, demanding accountability and reforms in the exam system alongside five others from various factions.

The Bharti Vyavastha Sudhar Yatra (Recruitment System Reform Journey) marked the second phase of his campaign, beginning in Nemra village in Ramgarh district, the birthplace of former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha co-founder Shibu Soren.

Upon arrival in Nemra, roughly 100 villagers greeted Mahto and his team, who were initially met with skepticism. They did not attempt to reach Shibu Soren's residence, instead heading towards Hazaribagh. Mahto expressed the widespread discontent among students, claiming that most government jobs were being sold and anarchy reigned. He spoke of the "ulgunan" (revolt, in the Mundari tribal language) intensifying, inspired by 19th-century tribal leader Birsa Munda, who fought for water, forest, and land rights.

The yatra aims to garner public support for transparency and fairness in the recruitment examination across Jharkhand's 24 districts. Mahto drives the Force Traveller, an open vehicle, visiting villages adorned with photographs of national leaders from India's independence movement and local leaders like Shibu, Binod Bihari Mahto, and Nirmal Mahto.

As they travel, they chant slogans praising Munda. Mahto, who holds two MA degrees in Sanskrit and Kurmali, as well as a B.Ed from Vinoba Bhave University, began protesting on July 2, initially sitting in a dharna at Morabadi ground in Ranchi, under the JPSC-JSSC Abhyarthi Nyay Manch banner.

The protests started after the July 2 result of the JPSC's 14th Combined Civil Services preliminary examination, which shortlisted 2,204 candidates from 3.5 lakh aspirants for 103 posts. Issues included undisclosed category-wise cut-offs, irregularities in the merit list, an OMR sheet with a successful candidate answering fewer than half the questions, and the continued use of a blacklisted agency, TSR Data Processing Private Limited.

Both Mahto's and Paswan's groups operated separately but had identical demands: cancellation of JPSC and JSSC exams, a CBI investigation, cancellation of all exams conducted by the blacklisted agency, prosecution of officials, reconstitution of commissions, and a complete examination calendar.

After 26 days of protest, including a 16-day hunger strike, the students were satisfied with the government's cancellation of 22 exams and transfer of 23 others to an investigation, but felt cheated when the government cancelled the exams to avoid a court challenge. They also accused the State government of not presenting their case strongly in court, as the Advocate General presented their side inadequately.