CHATRA, Jharkhand: Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto alleged on Tuesday that government positions had been sold in 45 recruitment examinations in the state, and said the ongoing Recruitment System Reform Yatra was a pledge to ensure action against those responsible, including political and administrative heads.
Allegations and official acknowledgements
Speaking in Chatra during the yatra, Mahto said the state’s recruitment system has been afflicted by corruption for more than two decades. According to his account, state authorities have accepted that irregularities took place in 45 exams, 22 examinations were cancelled and inquiries were ordered into 17 others.
“For 26 years, everyone has been plagued by Jharkhand’s corrupt system. Irregularities mar every single recruitment process… This time, however, the whole world has witnessed our movement,” Mahto said.
He added that the movement must go beyond disclosure and that those found responsible should be held accountable irrespective of their rank, saying the yatra’s demand extends to elected and bureaucratic leadership alike.
Yatra’s purpose and turnout
The Recruitment System Reform Yatra, which has passed through several districts including Hazaribagh and Chatra, has drawn strong participation from students and aspirants who say repeated irregularities have eroded faith in competitive selection processes. Mahto described the mobilisation as the expression of youth frustration across the state’s 24 districts.
- Key figures cited by JLKM: 45 exams with alleged sale of posts; 22 cancelled; 17 under inquiry.
- Participants: Students and job aspirants from multiple districts joined the yatra.
- Demand: Immediate and impartial action against those involved, up to and including top political and administrative officials.
Accountability and next steps
Mahto urged that inquiries be converted into substantive action. He said the yatra is intended as a pledge that the movement will press for legal and administrative consequences for anyone implicated. He specifically named a range of possible accountable persons, noting that culpability could extend to the Chief Minister, IAS officers or IPS officers.
The JLKM leader said the organisation had raised concerns about the recruitment process for years but that previous protests had failed to secure adequate acknowledgement or remedial measures. He said the present mobilisation has compelled authorities and the wider public to take the allegations seriously.
Background and wider implications
Repeated claims of irregularities in public sector recruitment have direct consequences for thousands of applicants who prepare for competitive examinations. Allegations of sale of posts, cancellations and inquiries can delay appointments, prompt litigation and undermine confidence in the administration of public employment. Civil society groups and student organisations have been among those calling for transparent investigations and structural reforms to recruitment procedures.
| Claim | Number |
|---|---|
| Exams with alleged sale of posts | 45 |
| Exams cancelled | 22 |
| Exams under inquiry | 17 |
At the time of the Chatra rally, no independent official statement confirming Mahto’s full account was reported. The JLKM leader framed the yatra as a demand for both immediate action on current probes and long-term reforms to prevent recurrence.
Observers say that for allegations of this scale to be addressed credibly, authorities will need to provide clear information on the scope and findings of inquiries, timelines for prosecutions where warranted, and steps to strengthen recruitment transparency. Meanwhile, aspirants and student groups involved in the yatra indicated they will maintain pressure until they see demonstrable sanctions and systemic reform.
