Jharkhand Students Set to March on Assembly After Talks With Government Break Down

The standoff between protesting students and the Jharkhand government over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations is set to intensify, with students planning a march to the state Assembly on Monday after talks failed to produce an agreement.

The protesters are demanding a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities in recruitment exams, cancellation of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination, changes to the examination system and a fixed recruitment calendar. The government has rejected the demand for a CBI probe.

Despite appeals from Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar to resume dialogue, student leaders said the Assembly march would proceed. Security measures have been strengthened across Ranchi ahead of the demonstration.

Student leader Sanjay Mehta said protesters from across Jharkhand would gather at the Old Assembly Ground and march towards the new Assembly building. He said the demonstration would remain peaceful and continue until their demands were addressed.

The protest leaders have disputed the government’s claim that 98 per cent of their demands have been accepted.

They said the government had agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations for which they had sought cancellation. They have also insisted on a CBI probe into the JSSC-CGL controversy, a demand that remains the biggest point of disagreement.

Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike, called Monday a decisive day for the movement and urged students and parents to join the march.

The agitation in Ranchi has entered its 17th day, with six students reportedly continuing their hunger strike. Protest leaders have appealed to participants to remain united, avoid confrontation with police and prevent rumours or disruptive activities.

The JMM-led government maintains that it has accepted most of the students’ demands and has urged them to end the agitation and continue negotiations.

Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar said the government had no intention of protecting anyone involved in examination irregularities.

The government has agreed to cancel the 14th JPSC examination and proposed an Enforcement Directorate investigation into alleged financial irregularities linked to the JPSC examination.

It has also proposed a fast-track mechanism under which charge sheets in examination-related cases would be filed within 90 days.

For examination reforms, the government has proposed an expert panel involving IIT-ISM Dhanbad, IIM Ranchi and XLRI Jamshedpur. A separate committee headed by a retired High Court judge has been proposed to examine the JSSC-CGL issue.

The state has also opened a portal to collect students’ suggestions on examination reforms and plans to introduce a standard operating procedure to improve transparency in future recruitment examinations.

However, the government has refused the CBI probe demand, pointing to the High Court and Supreme Court monitoring of the JSSC-CGL examination.

The dispute has also led to changes within the Jharkhand Public Service Commission.

Three JPSC members — Ajeeta Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda and Jamal Ahmad — resigned on Sunday. Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar accepted their resignations, according to Lok Bhavan.

The resignations came after the Jharkhand CID summoned the members for questioning over allegations including examination paper leaks.

JPSC chairman L Khiangte had resigned on July 22. Officials said 19 people have so far been arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in JPSC examinations.

The CID has questioned Khiangte several times since July 28. The JPSC had also postponed the Combined Civil Services Mains Examination scheduled for July 25-27, citing unavoidable circumstances amid the protests.

Police have stepped up security across Ranchi ahead of the planned march. Prohibitory orders have been imposed within a 750-metre radius of the Vidhan Sabha from August 6 to August 12, between 6 am and 10 pm.

Senior police officials have appealed to students to maintain peace and prevent anti-social elements from joining the demonstration. Barricades have been installed at key locations and additional forces deployed across the city.

The district administration has warned against violence and unlawful activities while the government has said students will not be harassed during the protest.

Most schools are expected to remain closed on Monday because of the agitation. Protesters, however, have alleged that students travelling to Ranchi from different parts of Jharkhand are being stopped by police from reaching the state capital.