Jharkhand exam stir may end as students weigh calling off protest

The 25-day agitation by students protesting alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations may be called off on Tuesday, 18 August after the state government accepted one of their key demands by cancelling the JSSC-Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination and other tests conducted by an outsourced agency since 2014.

The protesting students are expected to take a call on the future of the agitation on Tuesday, a day after chief minister Hemant Soren announced the decision following a marathon cabinet meeting.

"Today, our protest enters its 25th day. We may decide whether we continue or call the agitation off after the government's announcement," a protesting student said.

Student leader Devendra Mahto, who had been on hunger strike for 16 days, broke his fast around midnight, while five others continued theirs. Students were also seen celebrating and waving the tricolour after the government's announcement.

However, the agitation continued on Monday night as protesters insisted that their demand for a CBI probe into the alleged examination irregularities had not been accepted. Rahul Kranti, one of the protesters undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital, said the agitation would continue unless the government agreed to a CBI inquiry.

The government has meanwhile sought to address concerns over the recruitment process through an exam reforms committee headed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal. Soren said the committee would recommend measures to strengthen the examination system.

He also said the CID and a special investigation team had uncovered "several surprising factors" during their probe, which could not be disclosed at this stage. Several companies operating in Jharkhand, he added, appeared to be involved in a "huge exam racket".

The agitation, led by the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch since 25 July, had announced plans to gherao Soren's residence on 20 August and called on students from across the state to assemble in Ranchi. The protesters have also sought the chief minister's resignation, accusing the JMM-Congress government of failing to act on their demands.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk congratulated Mahto over a video call and described the government's decision as a "victory for everyone".

But the government's move has also triggered a counter-protest by candidates who cleared the JSSC-CGL and secured government jobs. They gathered outside the state secretariat, urging Soren not to cancel the examination and claiming that around 2,000 people would lose their jobs.

The opposition BJP has backed the students' demand for a CBI probe. Leader of opposition Babulal Marandi questioned why the government should oppose an inquiry if it was confident about the recruitment process and extended moral support to the proposed 20 August demonstration.

The government has said it will strictly enforce the Jharkhand Competitive Examination Prevention and Redressal of Unfair Means in Recruitment Act, while the CID continues its investigation. "We are conducting raids at the JSSC office in connection with alleged irregularities in various examinations," CID ADG Manoj Kaushik told PTI.

With PTI inputs