RANCHI, Aug. 3: The agitation against alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) recruitment examinations intensified on Monday as student leader Devendra Nath Mahto’s indefinite hunger strike entered its second day, with protesters reiterating their demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged recruitment scam.
Hundreds of aspirants continued their protest, demanding a transparent recruitment process, an impartial investigation into the alleged irregularities and greater accountability in government recruitment examinations.
Addressing the gathering, Mahto asserted that the movement would continue until the students’ demands were addressed.
“The government will have to bow down because this is a fight for the students of the entire Jharkhand,” he said.
“This movement represents the voice of millions of young people who pursue their dreams through education and hard work,” Mahto added.
Students participating in the protest said they had interacted through video conferencing with education activists Abhijeet Dipke and Ashutosh Ranka to discuss the alleged examination irregularities and seek wider support for the movement.
“Yesterday, we spoke through a video call with Abhijeet Dipke and Ashutosh Ranka. We informed them about the situation in Jharkhand and explained that the state has also been affected by incidents of paper leaks. There are several alleged irregularities in both JPSC and JSSC examinations,” a student protester said.
Another participant appealed to political parties across the spectrum to support the agitation.
“Politicians should stand with students and the youth. We want both the ruling party and the Opposition to support our cause. We are hopeful that our voices will be heard and that we will receive the support needed to ensure a fair investigation,” the student said.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Crime Investigation Department (CID) significantly expanded its investigation into the alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination by carrying out simultaneous raids at more than 20 locations across Ranchi, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Deoghar, Godda, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh and Palamu districts.
The searches covered coaching institutes, premises linked to persons under the scanner and locations in Ranchi’s Dhurwa and Namkum areas. During the operation, investigators examined and seized documents, computers, laptops, mobile phones, digital storage devices and other electronic equipment, all of which will undergo forensic examination.
The CID had earlier searched the offices of the JPSC and the examination-conducting agency TDPL, seizing several documents and electronic records related to the recruitment process.
Officials said 11 persons associated with the Commission and the examination process have been arrested so far. Former JPSC Chairman and former Jharkhand Chief Secretary L. Khiangte has been questioned multiple times and has again been summoned as the investigation progresses.
According to officials, investigators are examining the conduct of the examination, management of question papers, evaluation procedures and other operational aspects of the recruitment process. They believe forensic analysis of the seized material could lead to fresh evidence and further action.
The controversy stems from allegations of large-scale irregularities in the 14th JPSC Preliminary Examination results and has triggered widespread protests by competitive examination aspirants across the state.
The ongoing agitation has also received support from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has backed the students’ demand for an independent investigation into alleged irregularities in JPSC, JSSC CGL and other competitive examinations.
