Jharkhand govt mulls cancelling JPSC exams; students' protest continues

The Jharkhand government has agreed to consider cancelling three JPSC exams after talks with protesting students. However, aspirants will continue their agitation, rejecting the govt's judicial inquiry offer and demanding a CBI probe into the CGL exam.

Students' Stand After Talks

After a fresh round of talks with a Jharkhand government delegation on Sunday, student leader Ravindra Paswan said the State government has agreed to consider cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination, JPSC Backlog 2023 and JPSC Backlog 2025 examinations and said that they will continue their ongoing agitation till their demand for a CBI inquiry is fulfilled.

Speaking after the meeting amid the ongoing protest by aspirants to the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) -Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), Paswan said the government had also proposed CID and ED investigations into all examinations conducted by the TDPL agency. "This was the second round of talks with the government delegation. Regarding the specifics-specifically the 14th JPSC, JPSC Backlog 2023, and JPSC Backlog 2025 exams, the government has decided to consider cancelling all three," he said.

He further added that the government had accepted most of the students' demands related to recruitment reforms, except for certain issues, including age relaxation, where no consensus could be reached.

Demand for CBI Probe into CGL Exam

On the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination, Paswan said students had demanded a CBI inquiry, but the government did not agree to it, adding that instead the government has proposed an alternative option of a judicial inquiry which will be conducted under the chairmanship of a retired judge. "Regarding the CGL exam, the students demanded a CBI inquiry; however, the government did not agree to this. Instead, the government stated that a judicial inquiry would be conducted under the chairmanship of a retired judge, and if financial irregularities are detected, the ED would also be involved," he said.

Paswan, however, said the students would continue their demand for a CBI probe into the CGL examination.

Another student leader, Kunal, said that the Vidhan Sabha gherao protest would continue peacefully, asserting that students would not compromise on their demand for a CBI inquiry. "Let me clarify that our Vidhan Sabha gherao will continue peacefully. Our demand is for a CBI inquiry; we will not compromise on that," Kunal said.

JPSC Members Resign Amidst Protests

Meanwhile earlier today, Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar accepted the resignations of three members of the JPSC Commission, in light of the recommendation made by the State Government, the Lok Bhavan said in a statement on Sunday The resignations of Ajita Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda, and Jamal Ahmed have been accepted.

Government Announces Action Plan

Earlier today, representatives of the Jharkhand government held a fresh round of talks in Ranchi with representatives of various student organisations protesting alleged irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations Following this, the Jharkhand government announced a multi-pronged action plan to address alleged recruitment irregularities.

The measures include a CID probe into alleged irregularities in the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and 2023-25 backlog recruitments, an Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into suspected financial irregularities, setting up of a fast-track court and formation of an expert committee for recruitment reforms.

Jharkhand Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu announced the action plan amid intense protests by JPSC and JSSC aspirants over alleged irregularities in the recruitment process.

The decision was taken after three days of discussions and extensive consultations with the aspirants, following the instructions of Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

Protesters' Key Demands

The protesters at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi demanded cancellation of all JSSC CGL, JSSC JE, and PGT exams after 2019, a CBI investigation into the irregularities, strict action against the "mafias and agencies involved", disclosure of category-wise cut-offs (UR, EWS, BC-I, BC-II, SC, ST), OMR copies, and response sheets for transparency regarding the process and a recruitment calendar modelled after UPSC/SSC standards. (ANI)

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