Amid ongoing protests in Ranchi over JPSC-JSSC exam irregularities, district officials initiated dialogue with aspirants. An 11-member student delegation is set to meet the govt, while BJP leaders and Rahul Gandhi have voiced support for the students.
Officials Engage with Protesters
Stepping into the ongoing protests regarding disputed recruitment exams, district authorities such as Ranchi SDM Kumar Rajat and ADM Dhananjay Kumar arrived at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium to listen to the grievances of JPSC-JSSC aspirants protesting against alleged irregularities in the exam. Expressing a willingness to resolve the standoff through direct communication, the district officers initiated a dialogue with the gathered youth. “We came to speak with our younger brothers about how we can assist them in their preparations for the future,” Ranchi Sadar SDO Rajat Kumar said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the protest in Jharkhand over the alleged irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC examination continued on Thursday at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi with BJP and NDA leaders slamming the state government over its response. On Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke with JPSC-JSSC aspirants via a phone call.
Student Delegation Formed for Talks
According to JPSC JSSC Reform Manch, the protesting students have finalised an 11-member delegation to hold talks with the Jharkhand government over their demands. The delegation comprises eight student representatives, one lawyer and two technical experts. The eight student representatives named by the forum are Piyush Kumar Singh, Ravindra Paswan, Rajesh Prasad, Neetu Kujur, Kartik Soren, Ravindra, Ankit Kumar and Shalu Singh. There is also a demand that the dialogue should take place in the presence of the media.
“We also had another demand: if the Chief Minister comes out to speak with us publicly in front of live media on an open platform, a proper resolution could be reached. In our previous protest, our representatives were taken into a closed room, and nothing came out of it. They are calling a five-member team just to stall and suppress our movement,” a protester alleged. A protester said there was a suggestion that a four- or five-member delegation should go for talks.
Political Leaders Weigh In
BJP MLAs on Thursday staged a protest outside the state Assembly against the state government over alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), JSSC CGL, and various other competitive examinations.
Speaking with ANI outside the Assembly, BJP MLA Alok Chaurasia declared that the party stands firmly with the protesting students on the issue. “The Bharatiya Janata Party stands firmly and vocally with the students regarding the functioning of Jharkhand government agencies such as JPSC, JSSC, and CJL, as well as the widespread corruption across the state, particularly the fraud committed against students…” Chaurasia told ANI.
Rahul Gandhi Backs Student Demands
Student leader Piyush said they told Rahul Gandhi that the exam should be cancelled and conveyed other demands. “We told him of our demands, that exam should be cancelled, regarding investigation and reforms. He said that he stands with our demands, and that they will take it up with the Govt. He said that he stands with and supports students…We are yet to get any official information regarding the date and time of meeting (with the government),” he said.
Earlier in the day, during an Instagram question-and-answer interaction with Gen Z, Rahul Gandhi said the Jharkhand student protest was linked to wider concerns over the education system. Rahul Gandhi said protests in places such as Dehradun, Kota and Allahabad had highlighted that the education system had “collapsed” and stressed that governments should listen to students’ voices and work towards reforms.
Activist Clarifies Hunger Strike Status
Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday rejected reports that Jharkhand student leader Devendra Nath Mahato had ended his hunger strike following a video call with him. In a video message on X, Wangchuk said, “I would like to give you all a very important piece of information or clarification regarding the ongoing student movement in Jharkhand. As you saw, yesterday I connected with Devendra Nath Mahato ji and was urging him to end his waterless fast and consume water. However, many media houses mistakenly reported that he broke his fast. This is completely wrong.”
Government Responds to Allegations
Jharkhand Minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey on Thursday said the government was investigating the allegations and confirmed that 19 people had been arrested so far in connection with the case. “The irregularities in the JPSC that have come to light in Jharkhand are quite shameful, but Chief Minister Hemant Soren and our coalition government are steadfastly conducting continuous investigations into these matters within our administration and our institutions,” Tirkey said.
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