Student Sit‑in Over Alleged Irregularities Continues Despite Leader’s Collapse

The protest against alleged misconduct in Jharkhand's JPSC and JSSC exams entered a critical phase on August 9 as student leader Devendra Mahato fell seriously ill during an ongoing hunger strike at Ranchi's Jaypal Singh Munda Stadium. Mahato, who initiated an open‑ended satyagraha on July 25, had earlier joined the mass demonstrations that started on July 2 following claims of result tampering in the 14th JPSC civil services preliminary test. Despite his worsening condition, Mahato reaffirmed that the struggle for a transparent recruitment process would press on. The movement, now in its 16th day, also sees support from MLA Jayaram Mahato, who began a dry fast on Sunday, urging immediate governmental action on the students' core demands.