Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Aug 9: The talks between the agitating students who have been protesting over alleged exam irregularities, and the Jharkhand government on Sunday made substantial progress but not enough to convince the students to call off the agitations, particularly the government’s reluctance to order Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged examination scandals.
After the talks the students announced that their agitation including the proposed march to the state Assembly on Monday remained unchanged though expressed the confidence that the issues would be settled soon. “Will march to Jharkhand Assembly on Monday, not ready for compromise till CBI probe announced,” the student leaders said after talks with government panel.
Talks of the seven-member delegation from the JPSC-JSCC Reform Manch with the State government’s committee on Sunday concluded after one hour. “We are hopeful of a positive outcome over our demand of cancelling the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination and reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC),” a student leader said.
The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch accused the Jharkhand government of “political manoeuvring” by announcing another round of talks with student organisations, alleging the move was aimed at creating divisions among protesting students and diverting people’s attention from their core demands.
The students said they would decide on whether to continue their protest including the indefinite fast, but for now their demand for a CBI probe remains unfulfilled. The government has announced several steps, fulfilling a key demand by the students to set up a panel under a retired high court judge to look into the alleged exam irregularities.
Official sources said the state government was ready to cancel the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) PT examination and was also prepared to order CID and ED investigations into the backlog papers where there are allegations of irregularities. Sources said the state has agreed to the majority of the demands of the students, but their demand for a CBI probe into the irregularities was still in deadlock.
According to sources, the Jharkhand government is also not ready to cancel all the exams Abhay Tiwari appeared in. Tiwari has been one of the accused in the exam irregularities, and he reportedly cleared 12 examinations in the last 13 years. The state government has communicated these points to the main student group and has accepted many of their demands. The government has also said a chargesheet would be filed within 90 days.
The students insisted on a CBI probe, despite the state government’s proposal to cancel three exams, sources said. The protest entered its 16th day on Sunday. These three exams are: Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) 2023 and 2025, and 14th preliminary, sources said.
After the talks, Jharkhand minister Sudivya Kumar said a fast-track court would be set up to handle exam irregularities cases and the chargesheet would be filed within 90 days. Kumar said they held a positive dialogue with students, who would decide on withdrawing the agitation.
Student leader Ravindra Paswan told reporters that the government has accepted almost all of their demands concerning reforms, with the exception of one or two issues – such as age relaxation, on which no consensus could be reached.
“Regarding the CGL exam, the students demanded a CBI inquiry; however, the government did not agree to this. Instead, the government stated that a judicial inquiry would be conducted under the chairmanship of a retired judge, and if financial irregularities are detected, the ED would also be involved. Nevertheless, we students continue to demand a CBI inquiry,” Paswan said.
Three members of the JPSC PT exam resigned today, ahead of appearing for summons by the CID on Monday. The members who gave the resignation to the governor are Ajita Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda, and Jamal Ahmed.
Sunday’s meeting came after talks between the government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren and student groups for the last two days could not agree to a solution. Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto has been on an indefinite hunger strike, raising concerns over his health. Another student on fast, Rahul Krantim, is under medical supervision. In total, six protesters are on hunger strike.
During the meeting on Sunday, the state government expressed willingness to get financial transactions checked by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the exam irregularities case, sources said. They said all exams conducted by the Lucknow-based private testing agency TSR Data Processing Pvt Ltd (TDPL) would be scrutinised. The state government will approach IIM and XISS and take help from them to carry out reforms in the JPSC and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
The state government has held many rounds of talks in the last few days with different student groups, including the Congress’s student wing NSUI, Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha (JCM) and Adivasi Chhatra Sangh (ACS).
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the students protesting against the JPSC exam irregularities “will get justice,” while those responsible for the irregularities would face “severe punishment.” Soren also hit out at the opposition parties for “misleading” youths by “mixing truth with falsehood.”
“Our youth are staging protests and agitations to claim their rights. It is precisely because of our government’s actions that they have found the courage to step forward, protest, and demand their due, for we have exposed the wrongdoing. The youth will receive justice, and those responsible for the irregularities will face the severest possible punishment… There is no need to view this matter through a political lens or to seek political patronage,” Soren said in a public rally.
The Jharkhand CM further launched an attack on the opposition parties, claiming that they were “misleading” the youth. “Some people harbour vast political ambitions, and these very ambitions create an avenue for political parties to mislead the younger generation. I would say this specifically to the youth that they do not need our political patronage or that of any other political party.
“It is your right to receive what is due to you and to get justice… Political parties across the country are currently eyeing the youth in various ways, strategising on how to mislead them by mixing truth with falsehood. Work on this is proceeding on a massive scale, involving even highly learned and knowledgeable individuals,” he further said.
“Today, as this administration gains strength, there are many who simply cannot come to terms with it. They resort to hiding their faces, changing their guises, or operating from behind the scenes to spread misinformation and mislead others. The solution to every issue lies in dialogue, not in the use of batons or bullets.
“Batons and bullets are meant for the borders, for dealing with enemies, with those who are adversaries of the nation. Resorting to force against our own people, within our own home, solves nothing… Your (youth) sentiments and your concerns are our concerns. Occupying this constitutional office today, I assure you completely that justice will be served with transparency, and we will ensure that this justice is visibly demonstrated,” the CM said.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Sunday urged the students protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams to solve the matter through “dialogue” and not agitation, while saying that the government’s doors were always open for them.
“The Chief Minister is concerned about students’ issues. Resolve them with dialogue and not agitation. I urge youth to have full faith in CM’s assurances; we do not want to play with students’ future. Our doors are open to all students; meet us to raise all your concerns,” he said.