Ranchi: The ongoing protest over alleged manipulation and irregularities in Jharkhand’s government recruitment examinations has taken a political turn, with agitating students urging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to reconsider his party’s support for the JMM-led administration if Chief Minister Hemant Soren fails to respond to their grievances.
The protesters, campaigning under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, alleged that the ruling JMM-Congress coalition was attempting to turn the matter into a political dispute instead of resolving the concerns raised by candidates. They said the agitation would be intensified and announced plans to surround Soren’s residence on August 20 while seeking his resignation.
“We also demand that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi withdraw support from the JMM-led coalition if the CM is not listening to him,” JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan said.
The students are demanding that tests allegedly marred by irregularities be scrapped. Their demands include the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination and selected tests conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission. They have also called for an impartial investigation into the entire recruitment process.
The reform forum has proposed two alternatives for the inquiry — a Central Bureau of Investigation probe or an investigation by a panel of retired judges from outside Jharkhand. The protesters said they would not call off their campaign until the state government gives a satisfactory response to their demands.
Former Jharkhand chief minister and BJP MLA Champai Soren also attacked the state government over its handling of the controversy. He questioned why the administration had not recommended a CBI probe into the allegations, as reported by Moneycontrol.
“If you are not a part of a job-selling racket, what is the problem in recommending a CBI probe?” he said.
The state government has rejected suggestions that it is ignoring the issue and said efforts are underway to overhaul the recruitment examination system. During his Independence Day speech, Chief Minister Hemant Soren admitted that allegations surrounding the tests had shaken the faith of an entire generation of young people seeking government employment.
Soren said the allegations would be examined through a fair investigation and promised stringent punishment for anyone found responsible. He also stressed the need for long-term institutional changes to prevent the manipulation of examinations.
The measures outlined by the government include preparing a fixed annual schedule for recruitment tests, using technology-based security systems, releasing answer keys and OMR sheets without delay, and establishing accountability at multiple levels of the examination process.
The dispute continues to put pressure on the Jharkhand government. While the protesters are demanding the cancellation of allegedly compromised examinations along with an external probe and political responsibility, the administration has maintained that it is pursuing both investigations and structural reforms to restore confidence in the state’s recruitment system.