Devendra Nath Mahto, a Jharkhand activist, has ended his hunger strike after 16 days, according to BBC. The protest was linked to the cancellation of state-level competitive exams, a decision that has triggered a fresh wave of unrest among candidates who fear losing their jobs.
BBC reports that Mahto’s fast concluded on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. The move comes after the Jharkhand government cancelled the JSSC-CGL examination, a decision that had initially been taken to address one set of protests but has now sparked anger among roughly 2,000 selected candidates, as detailed by The Hindu.
The cancellation has left those who had already cleared the exam worried about their employment prospects. NDTV quoted candidates saying, "Kill Us," reflecting the desperation of individuals who now face the possibility of losing job offers. The Hindu notes that the decision to scrap the exam was intended to end one protest but has instead triggered another.
Political reactions have followed. The Times of India and Telegraph India both report that Rahul Gandhi, a prominent opposition leader, welcomed the end of the hunger strike. Gandhi described the resolution as "the right way," praising the understanding reached between the state government led by Hemant Soren and the protesting students.
The situation in Jharkhand remains tense, with two groups now affected: those who pushed for the exam cancellation and those who had already qualified and now face uncertainty. The government’s next steps will determine whether the new protest can be resolved without further escalation.
