Indian Student Activist Ends 16-Day Hunger Strike After Government Agrees to Cancel Controversial Exam

After weeks of protests and a dramatic hunger strike, student activist Devendra Nath Mahto has ended his fast in the Indian state of Jharkhand. The 16-day strike came to an end on Monday after the government agreed to cancel a controversial recruitment exam that had sparked widespread outrage among students and job-seekers.

The exam, conducted The protests began on July 25 after preliminary civil service exam results were released, with many candidates claiming that answer sheets shared online showed successful applicants had answered fewer questions than expected.

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Devendra Nath Mahto, a prominent face of the protests, was admitted to a hospital last week due to deteriorating health. However, he ended his hunger strike in the presence of state ministers at the hospital, marking a significant victory for the protesters.

The government's decision to cancel the exam has been met with mixed reactions from the protesters. While some have celebrated the move, others have expressed disappointment that the investigation into alleged malpractices in other recruitment exams was not included in the agreement.