Soren cancels JPSC exams amidst protests
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday announced in the State Legislative Assembly that the examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Services Commission (JPSC) in 2023 and 2025, including the preliminary exam for the 14th JPSC, will be cancelled. At the same time, he accused the BJP of exploiting the recruitment exam protests for political gain.
He also announced an inquiry into all examinations conducted by the TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL), a Lucknow-based private company responsible for conducting the JPSC examinations, as well as the 11th and 13th JPSC exams.
The CM said that the BJP was acting like parasites, often hiding under various guises. He stated that the Opposition does not want the next generation to distinguish between right and wrong.
The CM also announced an inquiry into the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) Combined Graduate Level (CGL) exam conducted by TDPL. While presenting the Government’s stance amidst an uproar by the Opposition in the Assembly, he stated that the Government is set to take significant steps toward reforming the examination process. He mentioned that the Government would implement reforms in competitive examinations after consulting with premier national institutions such as IITs, IIMs, and XLRI.
The CM said, “I wish to share a few thoughts with you all — and perhaps bring a touch of amusement to the proceedings. I want to address my colleagues in the Opposition. They harbour great expectations of us. While the people of the State have hopes — and we are working to fulfill them — the Opposition’s expectations and aspirations are so vast that I cannot even fathom how many lifetimes it would take to satisfy them.”
He stated that the Opposition is playing politics in the name of students and attempting to mislead them. The CM affirmed that the Government is serious about the students’ future and is taking necessary steps to improve the examination system. He noted that the Government has already decided to cancel several examinations and order inquiries into them. He further remarked that these individuals mislead people by wearing saffron robes and are now conspiring while posing as students.
Meanwhile, a day after their march to the Assembly and police action, different groups of agitating students announced on Tuesday that they will continue with their protests and hunger strike till their demands are met. JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch representative Piyush Kumar said that even after the lathi charge and police action on students, they have decided to continue with the protests till the Government accepts all their demands.
Notably, the State Government has accepted many of the demands of the students except CBI probe in 14th JPSC PT exams and scrapping of the JSSC-CGL exam. But the students are adamant on all their demands to be accepted by the Government.
