The Indian National Congress (INC) on Monday, 17 August threw its weight behind the ongoing student agitation in Jharkhand, demanding prompt resolution of their grievances and calling for sweeping reforms in the state's examination system to eliminate irregularities in recruitment processes. The party's intervention comes as the Jharkhand government simultaneously announced a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into examinations conducted by agency TDPL for the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).

Congress Stands in Solidarity

K. Raju, Congress in-charge for Jharkhand, addressed a press conference at the state party office in Ranchi, affirming the party's solidarity with protesting students and their peaceful demonstrations. He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has consistently championed issues around education, paper leaks, and student welfare at the national level, and has taken a personal interest in the Jharkhand movement as well.

Raju noted that Gandhi personally spoke to a student leader over the phone, listened to their grievances, and reiterated that the students' concerns must be resolved. Gandhi also reportedly wrote to Chief Minister Hemant Soren two days prior, urging him to personally meet the protesting students and take the lead in addressing their demands.

Police Action at Jantar Mantar Condemned

Raju said Congress had raised the issue of police action against students protesting at Jantar Mantar — both inside and outside Parliament — and made clear that the party firmly opposes the use of force or violence against peaceful demonstrators. He said a delegation of Congress leaders, led by him, had already met Chief Minister Soren and pressed for early resolution of student demands.

Following that meeting, the Chief Minister constituted a four-member Cabinet committee to engage with students, understand pending issues, and work towards a concrete solution.

Government's Response: CID Probe and Fast-Track Courts

State Minister Deepika Pandey Singh said the government has been making continuous efforts to address the students' legitimate concerns. Two rounds of talks have already been held with student representatives, and a third round was scheduled for Monday.

Singh confirmed that the government has ordered the CID to investigate all examinations conducted by TDPL for the JPSC and JSSC. The probe is expected to be completed within 90 days, and if financial irregularities are discovered, the government stated it would approach a central agency for a further investigation. The government also aims to ensure judicial oversight in the JSSC CGL case and use a fast-track court for speedy justice.

Exam Reform: IITs, IIMs, XLRI Experts to Be Consulted

Minister Singh described examination reform as the most critical issue at hand. The government has proposed developing a new, robust system to prevent paper leaks and manipulation, and plans to involve experts from premier institutions including IITs, IIMs, XLRI, and XISS in the reform process.

Any changes to the examination framework will be implemented after consultations with students, parents, academicians, media representatives, and other stakeholders — signalling a broad-based overhaul rather than a quick fix. This comes amid a pattern of paper leak controversies that have roiled competitive examinations across multiple Indian states in recent years.

With the third round of talks between the government and students scheduled, and a Cabinet committee already in place, the resolution of Jharkhand's student crisis is expected to hinge on the pace of reform implementation and the credibility of the CID investigation in the weeks ahead.