The Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand on Tuesday, 18 August cancelled all examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) and TDPL, ending weeks of student unrest that had escalated into a prolonged hunger strike. Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto and three others called off their 16-day fast in the early hours at Ranchi Sadar Hospital, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared the development a forced capitulation by the ruling government.

How the Hunger Strike Ended

At around 1.15 am, the four protesters — Devendra Nath Mahto, Umm-e-Habiba, Prem Nayak, and Kush Mahto — formally ended their fast after state ministers Deepika Pandey Singh and Irfan Ansari offered them juice at the hospital. Speaking after breaking his fast, Mahto said, 'Today, on the 16th day of our hunger strike, we ended our fast in a dignified manner. With the joint initiative of Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari, Minister Deepika Pandey and our MLA Jairam Mahto, we decided to suspend our hunger strike. All the demands for which we had been protesting constitutionally and peacefully have been fulfilled.'

BJP's Political Response

BJP Bihar president Sanjay Saraogi congratulated the students but pressed for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, saying, 'Congratulations, the students have won. The examination has been cancelled. But an organised group is operating in Jharkhand, leaking examination papers. What is the problem with a CBI enquiry? The students' future is at stake.'

Bihar Minister Ramkripal Yadav said the Soren government's concession amounted to an admission of wrongdoing: 'The government of Jharkhand had to bow down. By bowing down, it means that they have accepted that they made a mistake. If a CBI investigation is conducted, the truth will come out.'

BJP spokesperson R.P. Singh argued that exam cancellation alone was insufficient: 'The cancellation of the examination is a separate issue, but an investigation is essential to find out who committed the scam. The Chief Minister there is running away from the investigation.'

BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal took a more conciliatory line, urging the Jharkhand government to engage in dialogue with students whose concerns remained unresolved.

Opposition and Ally Reactions

Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha said the outcome was inevitable given the scale of irregularities that had come to light in the examination process, drawing a parallel with student unrest elsewhere. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar praised the protesters, saying the students had led a peaceful agitation and expressing hope that all their concerns would be addressed.

Agitation Not Fully Over

Despite the hunger strike ending, the JPSC-JSSC Reform Forum announced it would continue its agitation until a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations is ordered. The demand for an independent federal investigation remains the central unresolved flashpoint, and with the BJP amplifying it at the national level, pressure on the Soren administration is unlikely to ease. How the Jharkhand government responds to the CBI demand will determine whether the student movement truly subsides or reignites.