Jharkhand Didn’t Need a Political Script
India has seen enough protests at Jantar Mantar to know how quickly a genuine grievance can be swallowed by politics. A few leaders arrive, cameras turn up, party flags go into the air, slogans become sharper and before long the original issue is competing for space with the politicians who have come to own it. Jharkhand has offered a rather different picture. The students did not need a political script. They already had a grievance of their own: examination and recruitment irregularities, and the fear that years of preparation could be undone by a system they no longer trust. That distinction matters. For a young person preparing for a government examination, this is not merely another political controversy. It can mean years spent studying, money spent by families and opportunities sacrificed in the belief that a fair examination can lead to a secure future. When that examination system is questioned, the anger is not manufactured by a political party. It comes from the candid...
