Students protesting alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations have urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to withdraw his party’s support to the JMM-led state government if Chief Minister Hemant Soren does not address their concerns.
The protesters, associated with the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, accused the ruling JMM-Congress alliance of politicising the issue and said they would intensify their agitation. They have announced plans to gherao Hemant Soren’s residence on August 20 and are 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 protesters have called for the cancellation of examinations where they allege irregularities took place, including the JSSC-CGL and certain examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC). They have also demanded an independent investigation into the recruitment process.
The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch has sought either a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or an inquiry by a committee of retired judges from outside Jharkhand. The students said their agitation would continue until the government responds to their demands.
Former Jharkhand chief minister and BJP MLA Champai Soren also criticised the Hemant Soren government over the issue, questioning why it had not recommended a CBI investigation.
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, however, has said it is working to make recruitment examinations more transparent and secure. In his Independence Day address, Hemant Soren acknowledged that allegations concerning recruitment tests had affected the confidence of an entire generation of job aspirants.
The chief minister assured students that investigations into alleged irregularities would be impartial and that strict legal action would follow against anyone found guilty. He also said broader institutional changes were necessary to prevent examination manipulation in the future.
Among the measures announced by the government are a time-bound annual examination calendar, technology-secured examinations, prompt release of answer keys and OMR sheets, and multi-level accountability in the recruitment process.
The confrontation comes amid the students’ continuing demand for action over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations. While protesters are pressing for cancellations, an independent probe and political accountability, the state government has maintained that investigations and reforms are being undertaken to address concerns and strengthen the examination system.
