Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan turned into a battleground of frustration on August 24 as thousands of Staff Selection Commission (SSC) aspirants and teachers, under the banner of Chatra Maha Andolan, rallied against what they called a collapsing recruitment system.

What began as a peaceful gathering of nearly 1,500 protesters spiraled into chaos after the permitted protest time lapsed.

Students accused the police of baton-charging them to force dispersal, while videos circulating on social media showed aspirants fleeing the venue as security forces moved in. 

Delhi Police denied the allegations, saying over 40 protesters were briefly detained and the rest dispersed “peacefully.”

Anger fueled by repeated exam fiascos

This is not the first eruption of discontent. Candidates have been taking to the streets for weeks, demanding transparency in examinations after a series of high-profile lapses.

The spark this time was the SSC Selection Post Phase 13 exam (July 24–August 1), marred by abrupt cancellations, technical glitches, and biometric failures. 

A temporary truce brokered after talks with the DoPT minister fell apart when fresh irregularities surfaced in the SSC Stenographer exam on August 6, followed by postponement of the CGL exam.

Aspirants point fingers at Eduquity Career Technologies, the newly appointed exam vendor, accusing it of being “grossly ill-equipped” to handle the national recruitment drive. 

Faulty centre allocations, repeated server crashes, and logistical hurdles — particularly for rural candidates — have left thousands feeling cheated.

“For years we burn the midnight oil, only to see our future stolen by mismanagement,” said Ayush, an aspirant. “It is not just exams being cancelled — it is our time, money, and careers being wasted.”

Demands for structural change, not patchwork fixes

At the heart of the protest lies a demand for structural reform rather than temporary solutions. Students and teachers have drawn up a clear charter:

Blacklist and penalize exam centres guilty of mismanagement.

Cancel contracts of negligent private agencies.

Refund fees, reimburse travel costs, or grant reattempts to affected candidates.

Release answer keys promptly with time for objections.

Publish a fixed exam calendar to ensure recruitment cycles end within 6–8 months.

Provide additional attempts for UPSC candidates who lost chances during COVID-19.

Extend OBC-like relaxations to EWS students.

Establish a Students’ Commission of India to resolve exam-related grievances.

Act firmly against fake certificate holders.

The demand is clear: accountability and transparency.

“We are not asking for token relief,” said Sakshi, another protester. “We want a fair system that doesn’t crush our dreams year after year.”

With protests spreading beyond Delhi, the unrest signals that the credibility of one of India’s largest recruitment bodies is now under serious question.