Ranchi, Aug 9: The agitation by students and job aspirants over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) entered its 15th day on Saturday, with talks between the state government and protesting groups failing to break the deadlock.
The government held separate meetings with several student organisations in an attempt to resolve the issue. A five-member government panel, including three ministers, first met representatives of the JPSC-JSSC Candidates’ Forum led by JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto and subsequently held discussions with delegations from the Congress-backed NSUI, Akhil Chhatra Sangh and Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha.
However, the meetings failed to satisfy the protesters, who maintained that the agitation would continue until their demands were addressed.
State minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav described the demands of the protesting aspirants as “genuine” and said they would be placed before Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar said the government had created a dedicated email address to receive suggestions from students and other stakeholders on reforms to the recruitment process. The government also indicated that discrepancies highlighted by the students would be examined.
The protesters, however, said dialogue alone would not end the agitation and reiterated their demand for cancellation of examinations allegedly affected by irregularities and an independent investigation.
The JPSC-JSSC Candidates’ Forum has sought cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination and an independent probe. Other groups have demanded cancellation of several JSSC examinations conducted after 2019, including the CGL, JE and PGT examinations.
The protesters have also demanded a CBI probe or an inquiry by a panel of retired High Court judges from outside Jharkhand. They are seeking disclosure of category-wise cut-offs, OMR sheets and response sheets, besides a recruitment calendar on the lines of the UPSC and SSC.
The NSUI has separately demanded a CID probe into examinations under suspicion and the creation of a Jharkhand Testing Agency on the lines of the National Testing Agency.
The agitation has also included an indefinite hunger strike by several candidates. Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto has reportedly suffered deteriorating health during the fast, including a chest infection and falling blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
According to PTI, 19 people have so far been arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in JPSC examinations. Former JPSC chairman L Khiangte has also reportedly been questioned four times since July 28.
Meanwhile, the agitation witnessed a confrontation between ABVP members and police near the Chief Minister’s residence. ABVP activists taking out a march from Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University towards the CM’s residence allegedly attempted to break through barricades, resulting in a scuffle.
Police detained around eight to 10 protesters and said they would be taken to Lalpur police station.
“ABVP members scuffled with the police and tried to break through barricades near the Chief Minister’s residence. Eight to ten members have been detained,” a police officer said.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Ajay Aryan said the protesters had been stopped near Sidho Kanho Park to prevent any untoward incident.
ABVP state secretary Prakash Tuti said the organisation stood firmly with the protesting students and announced a march to the Jharkhand Assembly on August 11.
“We have questions and the CM is answerable,” Tuti said, urging students, women and youth from across the state to participate in the Assembly march.
An ABVP leader said the organisation’s “fight is with the government and its policies”, while reiterating the demand for cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination.
Jharkhand BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi also criticised the state government, saying dialogue with students was necessary but should not be used to divert attention from the alleged examination irregularities.
With the talks failing to produce a breakthrough and multiple student organisations continuing to back the agitation, the standoff between the government and protesters is likely to continue in the coming days.
