JPSC Protest Enters 15th Day, Students Plan Assembly March As Talks With Government Fail Again
JPSC protest enters its 15th day in Ranchi, with students announcing plans to gherao the Jharkhand Assembly on 10 August after a second round of talks with the state government’s delegation ended without resolution on Saturday.
The meeting, which lasted around an hour, followed an earlier round of discussions held on Friday night that had also failed to produce any outcome.
JPSC Protest Enters 15th Day As Students Continue Hunger Strike
JPSC protest enters its second week with the movement showing no signs of slowing down, as six students continue their hunger strike demanding the cancellation of the JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations. On Saturday morning, activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) attempted to march towards the Chief Minister’s residence but were stopped midway by police.
The students have formally announced plans to surround the Jharkhand Assembly building on 10 August if their demands remain unmet, signalling an escalation of the protest that began 15 days ago at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi.
JPSC Case Reaches Supreme Court Through Public Interest Litigation
The controversy surrounding alleged irregularities in the JPSC-JSSC examinations has now reached the Supreme Court. According to advocate Satyam Singh, a public interest litigation has been filed by political leader Harisharan Devgan, seeking four key remedies from the court.
The petition demands that the JPSC examination be cancelled and conducted afresh, that a CBI investigation be ordered into the matter, and that the Supreme Court constitute an independent committee headed by retired judges. Singh added that the petition also seeks preservation of all relevant documents, OMR sheets and CCTV footage, along with a full audit of the examination process, with status reports to be filed before the court. He said the matter is expected to come up for hearing next week.
Government Sets Up Feedback Channel As Ministers Engage With Students
The state government has released an email ID, JPSC.JSSC.feedback@gmail.com, along with a feedback number, inviting suggestions from students and stakeholders. Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu said the government would meet with various student groups and stakeholders before arriving at a decision, adding that all feedback received would be taken into account while framing a reform policy.
Ministers Chamra Linda, Sudivya Sonu, Deepika Pandey Singh and Sanjay Yadav represented the government at Saturday’s meeting, while the students’ delegation included representatives such as Ravindra Paswan, Piyush Kumar, Rajesh Prasad, Neetu Kujur and Ankit Raj, among others.
Political Leaders And Public Figures Extend Support To Protesting Students
The protest has drawn support from various political and public figures over the course of the day. AJSU president Sudesh Mahto said students were protesting because the government recruitment agency had allegedly been turned into a marketplace for buying and selling jobs, and demanded the removal of current officials, a CBI probe, and a fresh recruitment process involving qualified candidates.
BJP state president Aditya Sahu visited the protest site along with other party leaders to hear the students’ demands and extend support. Actor and singer Piyush Mishra also visited the demonstration site, expressing solidarity with the students and describing efforts by supporters to provide financial help, food and shelter material over the preceding days.
Union minister Annapurna Devi said in Giridih that the students were protesting peacefully over legitimate demands, alleging that the Jharkhand government was treating them unfairly. Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi said dialogue between the government and students should continue but cautioned against using talks as a means to delay accountability, given the seriousness of the alleged irregularities.
Health Concerns Grow Among Hunger-Striking Students
Concerns over the health of protesting students have intensified as the agitation continues. Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto said he was struggling to speak, citing low blood sugar, low blood pressure and severe dehydration. Another hunger-striking leader, Rahul Kumar Kranti, was shifted to the ICU after his condition worsened on Friday, having been admitted to Sadar Hospital in Ranchi.
A medical team has been conducting regular health check-ups of the students on hunger strike at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, while the Ranchi administration has installed CCTV cameras at the protest site to monitor the ongoing demonstration.
CID Investigation Into Alleged Exam Scam Syndicate Continues
Separately, the CID investigation into alleged irregularities in the JPSC examination has continued to widen, with officials uncovering what they describe as a large-scale fraud syndicate. The agency has so far arrested 19 people in connection with the case and sent them to jail.
According to sources, alleged mastermind Abhay Tiwari was questioned continuously for 10 days. Officials said Tiwari disclosed that candidates were allegedly charged between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 60 lakh each in exchange for guaranteed success in the examination, with the proceeds reportedly shared among individuals across different levels of the alleged network.
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