RANCHI, Aug 16: The protest by students and aspirants against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations entered its 23rd day on Saturday, with protesters demanding Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s resignation and urging the Congress to withdraw support from the JMM-led government if their grievances are not addressed.
The protesting students accused the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress alliance of playing politics with their careers and announced plans to intensify their agitation in the coming days.
JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan said the protesters would gherao the chief minister’s residence on August 20 if their demands remained unresolved. He also demanded that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi withdraw support from the JMM-led coalition if Soren failed to address the students’ concerns.
As part of the intensified campaign, student leaders announced plans to burn effigies of Chief Minister Soren and Rahul Gandhi at all 24 district headquarters in Jharkhand on August 16.
The students have been protesting alleged irregularities in various JPSC-JSSC recruitment examinations. Last week, protesters marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi, where the demonstration witnessed the use of lathi-charge, tear gas and water cannons by security personnel.
Tiranga march held
On August 15, protesting students participated in a Tiranga march as the agitation continued. JLKM leader Devendra Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for 14 days, alleged that police prevented him from leaving Sadar Hospital to join the march.
Videos circulating from the incident showed Mahto engaged in a scuffle with security personnel while attempting to leave the hospital.
Government agrees to cancel three exams
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand government has agreed to cancel three examinations, including the preliminary examination of the 14th JPSC Combined Civil Services Examination, amid the students’ demands for action over alleged irregularities.
The state government has also agreed to involve the Enforcement Directorate in probing alleged financial irregularities linked to the 14th JPSC examination. However, it has not agreed to transfer the case from the state CID to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The state CID has arrested L Khiangte, former Jharkhand Public Service Commission official, in connection with the case.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren has appealed to the protesting students to resolve their concerns through dialogue and assured them that the government would take action on their demands.
Soren said the administration was working towards making the recruitment examination system more transparent, secure and accountable.
In a post on X, the chief minister said the students had raised their concerns peacefully and that expressing their views was their democratic right. He said it was the government’s responsibility to respect their concerns and assured them that the issues would be addressed with seriousness and sensitivity.
Soren also said the government had remained in constant dialogue with the students and had already taken action against those found guilty.
The chief minister said the government’s objective was to identify shortcomings in the examination system and ensure that students do not face similar difficulties in the future.
He further alleged that some opposition leaders were attempting to disrupt the peaceful movement and mislead students for political gains.
“I appeal to all of you not to fall into the trap of any such political narrative. You are the future of Jharkhand,” Soren said.
The students, however, have indicated that they will continue their agitation until their remaining demands are addressed, setting the stage for further protests in the state in the coming days.
