Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday reached out to the protesting Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) aspirants in Ranchi, assuring them that his government is willing to engage in dialogue and introduce meaningful reforms to address their concerns. His remarks come as the protest at Jaipal Singh Stadium continues to gather momentum, with students demanding action over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the JPSC and the JSSC.
Seeking to ease the growing standoff, Soren said the government has already established a communication channel and is prepared to listen to every concern raised by the aspirants. "We have already specified a channel of communication. We are ready to talk. The government is keen to understand the issues faced by every student. We are now trying to take the students' wishes beyond the confines of Jaipal Singh Stadium," the Chief Minister said.
CM promises robust reforms to address students' concerns
Reiterating his government's commitment to improving the recruitment system, Soren said the administration intends to implement structural reforms that align with the aspirations of young job seekers. "Our goal is to move forward with significant, robust reforms that address these student aspirations in a manner that aligns with their needs," he added. The Chief Minister's assurance comes at a crucial time, with students continuing their agitation and demanding greater transparency, accountability and fairness in the state's recruitment process.
Jairam Mahato raises fresh allegations
Even as the government called for dialogue, the protest witnessed fresh political intervention after Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) MLA Jairam Mahato levelled serious allegations over the integrity of the recruitment process. Mahato referred to a case linked to the JPSC preliminary examination and alleged connections with the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination. "The demand is regarding the JPSC preliminary examination. The accused person in this matter had cleared the JSSC CGL examination with second rank, and several members of his family had also passed the exam," Mahato alleged.
Calling for a wider investigation, the legislator demanded that authorities scrutinise every examination in which the accused candidate had participated, along with the role of the agency involved in conducting those examinations. "Therefore, all examinations in which he appeared, as well as those conducted by the concerned company, should be investigated," he asserted.
Students form fresh delegation for talks
Following the government's insistence that only students should participate in the negotiations, the protesters have prepared a fresh delegation comprising only student representatives. The new panel does not include any journalists or advocates.
The delegation that is expected to represent the students in talks with the government includes:
- Ravindra Paswan
- Piyush Kumar
- Rajesh Prasad
- Neetu Kujur
- Ankit Raj
- Kartik Soren
- Shalu Kumari
- Ravindra Kumar Ravi
- Anand Kumar
- Ankit Kumar
Political spotlight intensifies over Ranchi protest
The ongoing agitation has now become a major political issue in Jharkhand, with mounting pressure on the Hemant Soren government to address the aspirants' demands before the situation escalates further.
The protests are centred on allegations of irregularities in recruitment examinations and demands for greater transparency in the selection process. Students have been staging demonstrations at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Stadium, seeking corrective measures and institutional reforms.
Rahul Gandhi had also backed protesting aspirants
The protest movement has also received support from senior political leaders. On Thursday, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi spoke to the protesting JPSC and JSSC aspirants over the phone and expressed solidarity with their demands. His intervention added a new political dimension to the agitation, which has remained in focus over the past several days.
(With inputs from ANI)
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Rahul Gandhi speaks to protesting students in Jharkhand, assures support over exam irregularities
