I'm 40, still waiting for a government job: JPSC aspirant joins hunger strike

For two decades, Rahul Kranti Kumar has chased the dream of a government job. Now, at 40, the JPSC aspirant is on an indefinite hunger strike in Ranchi, saying repeated exam irregularities have cost him both his career and his youth.

In Short

• Rahul says he outscored selected candidates in the High School TGT exam
• He comes from a farming family and survives by teaching tuitions
• A High Court ruling favoured him, but recruitment remains unresolved

"I'll soon turn 40. I've spent the last 20 years preparing for a government job. I scored 172 marks in the High School TGT exam, yet someone with 152 marks was selected. Today, I'm still protesting on the streets."

These words come from Rahul Kranti Kumar, one of the candidates on an indefinite hunger strike at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, where aspirants are protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).

Rahul says his story is not unique. According to him, it reflects the frustration of thousands of young people who believe flaws in the recruitment system have denied them government jobs despite years of preparation.

A DREAM KEPT ALIVE BY TUITIONS

Rahul comes from a farming family with limited financial resources. After completing his graduation, he began preparing for competitive examinations at the age of 20. Two decades later, he still does not have a permanent government job.

He completed his BEd in 2011 and says the years of uncertainty have affected every aspect of his life. Family pressure eventually led him to get married at the age of 33, but without stable employment, supporting his family remains a challenge.

To make ends meet, Rahul teaches school students through private tuitions and coaching classes during the day. At night, he continues preparing for competitive examinations, hoping that one day his efforts will finally pay off.

'THE COURT RULED IN MY FAVOUR, BUT I STILL DIDN'T GET THE JOB'

Rahul alleges that despite scoring higher marks than some selected candidates in the High School TGT recruitment, he was left out of the final selection list.

He challenged the recruitment process in the High Court, which ruled in his favour. However, he claims that instead of implementing the order, the JSSC approached a division bench, leaving candidates like him waiting yet again.

"How can an ordinary student fight the government?" he asks.

QUESTIONS OVER RECRUITMENT

Rahul also questioned the pace of government recruitment in Jharkhand. Referring to assistant professor appointments, he claimed that although 26,000 vacancies were advertised, appointment letters have been issued in phases, with only a few thousand candidates selected at a time.

He alleged that around 4,000 posts still remain vacant despite qualified candidates being available.

Rahul further claimed that many local candidates continue to miss out on jobs despite years of preparation, raising concerns over the transparency of the selection process. He also questioned the handling of OMR sheets, alleging that deserving candidates were being overlooked.

Frustrated after years of legal battles and waiting, Rahul has now joined other aspirants in an indefinite hunger strike, saying he has exhausted every other avenue in his fight for a fair recruitment process.

- Ends