Indian Police Deploy Tear Gas on Jharkhand Protesters Demanding Civil Service Exam Reforms

Police in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state, deployed tear gas and baton charges against thousands of student and job seeker protesters on Wednesday. The demonstrators were expressing their opposition to changes in the state's civil service examination policy, which they contend will marginalise local candidates.

The protests, organised under a 12-hour general strike, saw participants attempt to march towards the state assembly. Authorities erected barricades and mobilised a significant police presence to contain the crowd, leading to confrontations in several areas of Ranchi. Visuals from the scene depicted dense clouds of tear gas as police sought to disperse the protesters.

At the core of the dispute is the state government's decision to revise the eligibility criteria for the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations. Previously, fluency in local languages was a mandatory requirement, a provision removed in the updated policy. Protesters argue this change disproportionately benefits individuals from outside Jharkhand, threatening employment opportunities for long-term residents and those educated within the state.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren's administration has faced consistent pressure over employment policies. Earlier this month, similar grievances led to demonstrations in Delhi, dubbed the "cockroach protests," where young job seekers released cockroaches in front of state guest houses to symbolise perceived government neglect. The recurring nature of these protests underscores deep-seated frustrations regarding access to public sector jobs and the perceived fairness of recruitment processes in India.