Ranchi: The Jharkhand government will hold another round of discussions with student representatives on Sunday as the agitation over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations continued for the 15th day, with no breakthrough in sight, PTI reported.
The meeting, scheduled for around noon, follows five rounds of talks held with different student groups. The government’s decision to convene fresh discussions came after a four-hour meeting between Chief Minister Hemant Soren and a ministerial panel on Saturday evening.
The panel had met representatives of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which has been leading the agitation, on Friday. On Saturday, it held separate meetings with the NSUI, Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha (JCM) and Adivasi Chhatra Sangh (ACS), among other groups.
Protesters Allege Divide-And-Rule
The Reforms Manch criticised the government for holding separate talks with multiple organisations, alleging that the move was intended to weaken the agitation and create divisions among the students.
“This is political manoeuvring by the government. It is trying to create a divide among students and divert attention. But they should know that all students are united,” Manch leader Ravindra Paswan said at a press conference at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, where the protesters have been camping since July 25.
Paswan said the Manch had already placed its demands before the five-member government panel during an extensive meeting on Friday night. He alleged that the administration later invited organisations that had not played a role in the ongoing protest for separate discussions.
The government, however, maintained that the meetings had taken place in a positive atmosphere and said it was examining the concerns raised by the aspirants.
Rural Development Minister Dipika Pandey Singh said the panel had briefed the chief minister about the demands and issues raised during the meetings. “It was decided in the meeting with the chief minister that a final round of talks with the protesting students will take place at 12 pm on Sunday,” she said.
Demands, Marches Remain
The protesters are seeking sweeping reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). The JCM demanded cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination, while the NSUI sought a CID inquiry into all JPSC and JSSC examinations facing allegations of malpractice within 90 days.
The NSUI also called for a Jharkhand Testing Agency on the lines of the National Testing Agency. The ACS demanded that tribal and regional languages be made qualifying papers in recruitment tests and that examinations tainted by irregularities be cancelled.
The agitation is set to continue despite the talks. Students have threatened to march to the Assembly on August 10 if their demands are not addressed by Sunday. The ABVP has announced a separate Assembly march on August 11.
Meanwhile, the All India Students’ Association (AISA) put up a separate platform at the protest site on Saturday, while insisting that it remained part of the broader movement and was not organising a parallel agitation.
AISA national president Neha Bora, who was allegedly targeted with ink during Friday’s march near Birsa Chowk, briefly joined the protesters and raised slogans calling for the cancellation of the 14th JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations.
Vijay Kumar, head of AISA’s Ranchi unit, said the organisation shared the larger protest’s demands. He added that its members would join the proposed march to the Assembly on August 10 without carrying the AISA flag or banner.
Nineteen people have been taken into custody in connection with the alleged malpractice in JPSC examinations. Former JPSC chief L Khiangte has also appeared before investigators on four occasions since July 28.