Ranchi, Aug 17: The agitation by JPSC-JSSC job aspirants in Jharkhand entered its 24th day on Monday, with student representatives scheduled to hold another round of discussions with the state government over their recruitment-related demands.The meeting has been convened for 2 pm in Ranchi.
The protesting students have been permitted to attend the discussions along with their legal advisers, according to the information available.The fresh talks come a day after the aspirants held a demonstration in the state capital. The protesters marched from Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium to Albert Ekka Chowk and raised slogans against the government.
During the demonstration, the students burnt effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. They reiterated their demand for cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination and sought a CBI inquiry into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
The allegations are part of the protesters’ demands and have not been established as facts through an investigation.The Reform Manch, associated with the agitation, has indicated that the future course of the protest could depend on the outcome of Monday’s discussions. It said the agitation could move towards resolution if the government agrees to the students’ demands, while failure to reach an understanding could lead to continuation of the protest.The aspirants have also announced plans for a demonstration outside the Chief Minister’s residence on August 20.
However, a final decision on the programme is expected to take into account the outcome of the talks and the health condition of student activist Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike.The latest meeting is being viewed as an important opportunity for the state government and student representatives to address the recruitment-related dispute and explore a possible way forward.
