Jharkhand students wield poetry, satire and humour in protest over exam 'irregularities' as protest

At the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in the heart of Ranchi, a weighing scale stacked with bundles resembling Rs 500 notes sits beside the mock "rate card" for government jobs. Elsewhere students recite verses from Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar's' poem 'Rashmirathi'.

The most favourite section of the poem for the protesters is 'Krishna Ki Chetavani', bringing Mahabharata into a modern-day recruitment protest.

"'Varsho tak van mein ghoom-ghoom, baadha-vighno ko choom-choom, sah dhoop-gham, paani, patthar, Pandav aaye kuchh aur nikhar'", recite the protesting students, drawing a parallel between the Pandavas' years of hardship and their own preparation for competitive examinations amid uncertainty over recruitment and appointments.

Some students have put up mock "Naukri Bikri Kendra (Centre for Sale of Jobs)" listing an assistant teacher post at Rs 15 lakh, deputy superintendent of police at Rs 1.2 crore, block development officer at Rs 90 lakh and circle officer at Rs 1 crore, among others.

 In this image received on Aug. 9, 2026, People hold posters during a protest over the alleged recruitment exam irregularities, in Ranchi. Jharkhand government to hold fresh talks with protesting students over recruitment exam irregularities

Posters carry photographs of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and depict a fictitious scheme titled "Mukhyamantri Seat Becho Yojna (CM Seat Sale Scheme)", with the tongue-in-cheek line: “Payment karo aaram se, naukri pao samman se (Make payment at your leisure, do job with respect)."

Student protester Vivek makes his own statement through a white T-shirt, on which he has written in ink: "The system has failed us."

Elsewhere, a girl bows before a large cutout of the late JMM founder, Shibu Soren, appealing to his son and Chief Minister Hemant Soren to take "action against those doing injustice" to students.

Another protester held up a poster depicting an apparent judge examining a paper through a microscope, alongside the sarcastic message: "Microscope itna powerful nikla ki saboot dekhe nahi, gayab kar diye gaye (The microscope was so powerful that the evidence could not be seen and had disappeared)."

In this image received on Aug. 9, 2026, People hold posters during a protest over the alleged recruitment exam irregularities, in Ranchi.

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Some posters prominently featured Supriyo Bhattacharyya, the JMM central spokesperson, and his wife, who was appointed as a JPSC member, standing with the chief minister. On it is scribbled: “How can one expect fair JPSC exams when a friend and party leader's wife was made JPSC member?"

"We neither demand coal mines, nor the post of an MLA; we want cancellation of JSSC/JPSC paper," read a placard held by a protesting student.

Another student displayed a poster addressed to the Jharkhand government that read, "Dear JH Govt - Save Your Future", with "future" referring to the protesting students.

The opposition BJP too joined the political jibes, taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi through a poster that read, "Kab aaoge mere Rahul, tumhe Jharkhand bulata hai (When will you come, Rahul? Jharkhand is calling you)."

A student leader summed up the distinctive nature of the agitation: "Jharkhand students possess an unusual vocabulary for their agitation - not stones, but slogans; not destruction, but visuals; not silence, but satire."

In this image received on Aug. 9, 2026, People hold posters during a protest over the alleged recruitment exam irregularities, in Ranchi.

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"We are students who want justice and reforms in the system. Our movement is centred around recruitment reforms only," said Sanjeev Kumar, a protester.

The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which is spearheading the agitation, has also made a conscious effort to ensure that the protest remains free of abusive or derogatory language.

A "code of conduct" displayed prominently at the protest site urges participants to refrain from making political, religious or caste-based statements from the dais and says: "Don't deviate from the basic aims. Our fight is to ensure reforms in the system. Do not use derogatory language."

Organisers said the guidelines were aimed at keeping the agitation focused on its core demands.

Besides exam reforms, the protesters are demanding cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination and an independent probe into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment examination, either by the CBI or by a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state.

The protest entered its 16th day on Sunday.