India police fire tear gas at protesters seeking exam reforms

Indian police fired tear gas, water cannons and batons Monday at thousands of students and job seekers protesting outside Jharkhand's state assembly in Ranchi, demanding reforms to government recruitment exams. The demonstrations, ongoing for over two weeks, escalated after a civil service exam held in April allegedly showed signs of manipulation, with leaked answer sheets circulating on social media suggesting successful candidates had answered far fewer questions than expected. Police said a minority of protesters attempted to breach barricades and threw stones, injuring three officers, while acknowledging most demonstrators remained peaceful.

The anger stems from corruption allegations surrounding the Jharkhand Public Service Commission's preliminary exam. After results were announced in July, candidates claimed evidence of rigged results prompted the state government to launch a criminal investigation; more than a dozen people have been arrested and a private company's role in conducting portions of the exam is under scrutiny. Despite the government accepting several demands through negotiations, protesters say they will continue until all grievances are resolved.