Jharkhand government holds talks with student groups amid paper leak protests

The Jharkhand government on Saturday, Aug 8 held talks with various outfits amid the massive agitation over alleged paper leaks in recruitment exams, but failed to break the deadlock, as protesting aspirants said their stir would continue until all demands are met.

A five-member panel of ministers first met the faction led by JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, whose fast over the issue entered its seventh day, before separately meeting delegations of the Congress-backed NSUI, ACS and JCM. On Friday night, the government held similar talks with the JPSC/JSSC Reforms Manch.

"Demands of protesting aspirants are genuine; we will place these before Chief Minister Hemant Soren," said state minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav, a panel member.

The ruling JMM's students' wing, Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha, placed five demands, including cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination. NSUI placed six demands, including a CID probe into all JPSC and JSSC exams under doubt within 90 days, and setting up a Jharkhand Testing Agency on the lines of the National Testing Agency, its spokesperson Sanjiv Shah said. Adivasi Chatra Sangh leader Kartik Oraon said they had demanded inclusion of tribal and regional languages as qualifying papers, besides cancellation of tests where irregularities were found.

A leader of the JPSC JSSC Candidates' Forum said the government had assured a quick decision, but protests would continue until demands, including cancellation of the 14th JPSC exam, are met. State minister Dipika Pandey Singh said the talks were held in a positive atmosphere. Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar said the government had set up an email ID, jpsc.jssc.feedback@gmail.com, to seek suggestions on reforming the recruitment process.

The talks came as the protest entered its 15th day. Mahto told PTI that students had been protesting peacefully for over two weeks and the government should act without delay. "My health condition is deteriorating day by day. Blood pressure and sugar levels are dropping. The doctor has advised hospital admission," he said.

A delegation of the Cockroach Janta Party visited the protest site at Jaipal Singh Stadium in support of Reforms Manch members, who have been on hunger strike for five days. Separately, the All India Students' Association (AISA) set up its own platform at the stadium to intensify its protest. AISA president Neha Bora, who faced an "ink attack" during Friday's assembly march, briefly joined the protest, demanding cancellation of the 14th JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations.

Protesters have demanded an independent probe into the alleged irregularities, either by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state. So far, 19 people have been arrested in connection with the alleged irregularities, while former JPSC chairman L Khiangte has been questioned four times since July 28.