The Congress on Thursday said it stands with youngsters agitating in Ranchi against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams, with senior party leader Rahul Gandhi asserting that every government must listen to what students are saying and take action to change the education system. The Congress, which is part of the JMM-led government in Jharkhand, said it will continue to fight to resolve students’ problems and help them get justice. During an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session on social media platform Instagram, Gandhi was told to support the student protest in Jharkhand.
In reply, Gandhi said, “The student protests happening in the country are against the education system. I have stated it clearly in Kota and Dehradun, and will say it in Allahabad: our education system has collapsed; it is unaffordable and oppressive.”
“Every government, be it the Central government, Jharkhand government or a Congress government, should listen to what students are saying and take action to change the education system,” said Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha. We are with students: Kharge Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the party would stand with the cause of students regardless of whether it is their alliance partner or a rival in power, and write to the state government. “Rahul Gandhi and we are with the students, be it in Jharkhand, Punjab, Delhi or anywhere else.
We will ask whether we have made a mistake, and why it has happened. We are writing to the government,” he said. View full Image
Ranchi: Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto during his indefinite hunger strike as part of a protest against the Jharkhand government over alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC examination, JSSC-CGL and other recruitment tests, demanding a CBI probe and reforms in the recruitment agencies, at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. (PTI Photo)(PTI08_06_2026_000184B) (PTI) Earlier in the day, AICC in-charge of Jharkhand, K Raju, said he and state party leaders met Chief Minister Hemant Soren and handed over a memorandum to him on the students’ demands.
More Read
“We thanked the chief minister for his empathetic positive action for constituting a ministerial committee to consult with protesting students and recommend concrete solutions,” Raju said on X. He reiterated that Jharkhand Congress stands in support of the agitating students. The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) leaders in the state express total solidarity with students protesting against irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) recruitments, Raju said in the post, adding, “Justice for our students remains our top priority!”
Why are students protesting in Ranchi?
The protest against the alleged irregularities in recruitment exams in Jharkhand entered its 13th day on Thursday with six demonstrators on a hunger strike. The agitating students and job aspirants formed an 11-member delegation to hold talks with the government to resolve the impasse. The protest, which began on July 25 under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, emerged as one of the biggest student-led movements in the state in recent years. The decision to hold talks with the government was taken a day after Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the doors of his government were open to agitators. The demonstrators have been demanding cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination and an independent probe into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment test either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or by a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state.
More Read
Soren reacts In an X post, Soren had said the concerns raised by students were being treated with utmost seriousness by his government. He asserted that probe agencies were working round the clock and those responsible for the alleged irregularities were being sent to jail. “Our objective is not just to investigate but to provide a permanent solution to students’ concerns,” Soren said, adding that the state government’s doors remained open for them to present their demands and suggestions. He assured that every point would be examined carefully and a concrete solution would be announced soon. Our education system has collapsed; it is unaffordable and oppressive. The Congress, an ally in the Hemant Soren government, has extended support to the agitating students, and Raju had also visited the protest site. (With agency inputs)
About the Author Gulam Jeelani
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics.
Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience. Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times. Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.
Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter. Jeelani is a Bachelor’s in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
Get Latest real-time updates
More Read
Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news. Home News IndiaRahul Gandhi backs Jharkhand protest over job exam row: ‘Every Govt must listen to students’
More
