Ranchi, August 8: Students protesting alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations will continue their agitation despite a second round of talks with the JMM-led state government, saying they will withdraw the protest only after their demands are met.
Representatives of the JPSC-JSSC Aspirant Nyay Manch said the government listened to their concerns and “seriously considered” their demands during the meeting. However, the eight-member delegation said those on hunger strike would continue their fast and the wider agitation would remain in place until the government provides a concrete resolution.
A delegation member, Amit, said the students placed before the government the difficulties faced by aspirants and sought Rs 1 crore compensation for candidates who lost their lives during the physical efficiency test, or running trials, for the Jharkhand Excise Constable recruitment drive in 2024.
Another delegation member, Chandan, described the talks as positive and said the students submitted their demands along with facts and evidence. He said the government took note of the concerns and indicated that it would speak to the Chief Minister and initiate action at the earliest.
The students have demanded cancellation of examinations conducted by TDPL whose results have not yet been declared. They have also sought the appointment of a reliable agency such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to conduct examinations, or for the commissions themselves to undertake the process. The delegation alleged that assigning examinations to blacklisted companies puts students’ futures at risk.
Ravishankar, another member of the delegation, said the government gave the students considerable time to present their concerns and recorded their submissions. He said the demands also included cancellation of TDPL-conducted examinations and fast-tracked reappointment of candidates.
The delegation has further demanded a CBI probe into the JSSC CGL examination and cancellation of the examination if the probe establishes irregularities. Compensation for those who died during the Excise Constable recruitment running trials also remains among its demands.
Dinabandhu Mandal said the students had also sought completion of all vacancies within six months whenever examinations are cancelled, along with the release of merit lists.
The delegation said the government’s response gave them hope that action would follow, but maintained that the protest would continue until the demands are fulfilled. Chandan also said the government should clarify the timeframe for meeting them.
