Has Jharkhand issue been resolved?

Such is the plight of Indian students: sometimes examinations are marred by irregularities, while at other times, they must raise their voices loudly and resort to agitation just to have their legitimate grievances addressed. The student protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar following irregularities in the NEET exam culminated in the resignation of the then Education Minister and subsequent government measures to reform the examination system. Concurrently, several examinations were held in Jharkhand, including the 14th Civil Services Preliminary Exam, the Jharkhand Eligibility Test, recruitment exams for Forest Range Officers and Assistant Conservators of Forests, and the JPSC Civil Services Backlog Exams (2023 and 2025). Students protested against the irregularities in these exams using Gandhian methods and demanded their cancellation. This demand arose at the same time as the protest against the NEET exam at Jantar Mantar. There was also a grievance that, although the Congress party acknowledged the students’ issues, it failed to take a clear stand due to its participation in the Jharkhand government. Unfortunately for the students, the matter became heavily politicized. Students marched to the Legislative Assembly. The protest continued for 24 days before Rahul Gandhi wrote to Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Following this, the government machinery—which had been engaged in dialogue—reached a decision. Rahul Gandhi demonstrated his impartiality, albeit with some delay. The Jharkhand government acceded to the students’ demands and cancelled all the examinations. While the students had demanded a CBI inquiry into the irregularities, the government responded by announcing that a committee headed by a retired judge would investigate all examinations held since 2014. Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto ended his hunger strike, and Sonam Wangchuk congratulated the students. Declaring the government’s decision a victory, the students called off their protest. However, dissent from a fringe group is visible regarding the conclusion of the movement, though this is insignificant as Devendra Mahto is hailing it as a victory for all. While the Jharkhand Police have already arrested 20 individuals in this connection, a question arises in the minds of students and education stakeholders: will this alone fully rectify the flawed system? In the NEET case, too, several reforms were introduced alongside announcements for fast-track courts and swift punishment. Demands for cancelling the exams were met, yet it must be remembered that the regime did not change; the structural framework of the system remained the same. Now, a new crisis has emerged regarding the UGC-NET examination. Following the detection of irregularities in the question papers, new papers will be drafted for three subjects, and re-examinations for these will be held on September 9 and 10. Unless we strike at the root cause, superficial announcements and amendments will not yield a permanent solution. Conducting examinations successfully—whether nationwide or across individual states—is proving to be a daunting challenge. While cancelling exams upon detecting irregularities is the immediate first step, measures must also be taken to prevent a recurrence of such issues. The contract-based system involving unauthorized and incompetent officials must be abolished, and the responsibility for examinations entrusted to committed teachers; this is essential to restore the students’ shaken confidence in the examination system. Change must originate at the core; mere superficial adjustments will not suffice. The educational framework requires reforms that align with the times, ensuring that both students and the education system are in sync with the modern era.