Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto has emerged as the face of the ongoing Jharkhand students' protest over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. Mahto has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium since August 2 after weeks of protests failed to get a response from the state government, according to media reports.
The agitation, which began on July 5, is demanding a CBI and ED probe into the alleged recruitment scam. The protesters have also sought the cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) preliminary examination until a transparent recruitment process is ensured.
The movement has also received support from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). According to WION, party founder Abhijeet Dipke spoke with Mahto and other student leaders over a video call.
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Who is Devendra Nath Mahto?
Devendra Nath Mahto is a student leader from a small village in Ranchi district. He completed his schooling in Bundu before pursuing higher education at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University in Ranchi. Mahto holds postgraduate degrees in Sanskrit and Kurmali, Tribal and Regional Languages, and also earned a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree from Hazaribagh.
Apart from student activism, he also contested the 2024 Jharkhand Assembly elections from the Tamar constituency as an Independent candidate. Mahto has been active in student movements since 2015, consistently raising issues related to scholarships, examination paper leaks, recruitment rules and reservation policies.
On Monday, Mahto shared an update on the student protest and the third day of his hunger strike on X, saying the movement had reached a critical stage. "This movement of Jharkhand's youth is not for any post or politics, but for a fair, transparent, and corruption-free recruitment system. JPSC–JSSC Corruption-Free Recruitment Campaign continues unabated, " he wrote.
In his earlier posts, he also urged supporters to keep the agitation peaceful and constitutional, stressing that the movement was not about an individual but about securing the future of lakhs of students and job aspirants in Jharkhand.
Why is Mahto being compared to Sonam Wangchuk?
The comparison stems from Mahto's decision to launch an indefinite hunger strike, a strategy that drew nationwide attention during last month's NEET protest led by activist Sonam Wangchuk.
Wangchuk joined the students and the founders of the Cockroach Janta Party protesting on alleged irregularities in the NEET examination at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar on June 28 and announced an indefinite hunger strike, drawing support from students across the country.
After fasting for 26 days, Wangchuk ended his hunger strike on July 23, 2026, after the Union government provided written assurances on comprehensive examination reforms. He broke his fast at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram by sipping soup in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh.
Wangchuk reportedly lost around 11 kg during the fast. Two days later, on July 25, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, fulfilling one of the key demands of the protesting students.
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