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JPSC exam cancellation demand met, but Jharkhand protesters to continue stir, march to assembly seeking CBI probe
Jharkhand Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu said fast-track courts would be constituted and charge sheets against the accused would be filed within 90 days.
Protesting students in Jharkhand said their demand for cancellation of the JPSC exam had been met, but they would continue their agitation until the state government announced a CBI probe.
Student leaders said they would march to the Jharkhand Assembly on August 10 and were “not ready for compromise” without a CBI probe.
Jharkhand Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu said the government had held three days of talks with the aspirants and consulted extensively before deciding to address alleged irregularities in the 14th GPSC and the 2023-25 backlog recruitments.
Also Read: 'Dialogue, not batons': Jharkhand CM warns parties against misleading youth, politicisation
“Following three days of talks and extensive consultations, and acting on the instructions of CM Hemant Soren, the government decided to address the irregularities associated with the 14th GPSC and the 2023-25 backlog recruitments through a two-pronged approach. Criminal aspects will be investigated by the CID; furthermore, given the financial implications and evidence of illicit financial transactions, a request will be made for an ED investigation,” Sonu said, according to news agency ANI.
Unfortunate that students not ready to withdraw agitation, no intention to save culprits: Govt panel
In response, a Jharkhand government panel said it was “unfortunate” that the students had not agreed to withdraw the agitation, while appealing to the protesters to choose dialogue and resolve issue.
The panel said the state government had “no intention to save” any or the culprits involved in the exam irregularities, adding that it was ready for all probes, news agency PTI reported. However, the state government said security measures had been put in place for the protesters' August 10 march to the Jharkhand Assembly, adding that they would ensure no student is harassed.
Fast-track courts, committee to be formed
He said a fast-track court would subsequently be constituted and charge sheets against the accused would be filed within 90 days.
On reforms, Sonu said the government would form a committee of experts from IIT-ISM, IIM Ranchi and XLRI to guide the process.
“Following these discussions, student representatives demanded the cancellation of the CGL examination. The government clearly stated that, as the examination was conducted in accordance with the directives of the High Court and the Supreme Court, and is currently under their monitoring, it lacks the authority to cancel it,” he said.
The government offered to constitute a monitoring committee headed by a retired judge to oversee the investigation, but the students rejected the proposal.
“We believe the government agreed to 98 percent of the points raised. The remaining two percent, specifically the demand to cancel the CGL exam, could not be met because the government cannot unilaterally cancel an exam conducted under court orders, where results have been published, and successful candidates are already employed,” Sonu said.
‘Dialogue, not batons’
Earlier today, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on warned political parties against allegedly misleading students protesting over recruitment examination irregularities, saying the ongoing stir should not be politicised.
Soren said the government was committed to addressing the protesters' concerns through dialogue and transparency. He stressed that force was not the answer to the students' demands.
"Dialogue, not batons, can solve problems; weapons for enemies at border," the chief minister said, promising justice to exam protesters through a transparent process, reported news agency PTI.
(With inpust from agencies)
