Jharkhand govt holds first talks with student protesters, no breakthrough

Ranchi, August 7: A delegation of the Jharkhand Government held talks on Friday with student protesters demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into alleged irregularities in competitive examinations for government jobs. The two-hour meeting at the Morabadi state guest house in Ranchi ended without an agreement, with students remaining firm on continuing their protest.

The five-member government panel comprised Ministers Sudivya Kumar, Chamra Linda, Dipika Pandey Singh, Sanjay Singh, and Development Commissioner Ajay Kumar Singh IAS. They met a ten-member student team under the JPSS-JSCC Reform Manch, which has been leading the protest for the past 14 days at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium.

After the meeting, student leader Ravindra Paswan said, “It was the first round of talks with the government, and the government listened to our demands. However, we could not reach any conclusion on our key demands. Therefore, the protest will continue for now.”

Education Minister Sudivya Kumar described the talks as positive. “All their points were heard and understood seriously. The government will consider their demands before deciding on the next course of action,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Hemant Soren reiterated his government’s willingness to engage with the students. “I have said before that my government is committed to talking to the students and moving forward with concrete and practical solutions. Along with my young colleagues in Ranchi, suggestions from youth and students in various districts are equally important,” he said.

Mr. Soren added that his government would collect opinions from students, academics, and policymakers across the state and the country. “We will soon take concrete steps in a time-bound manner towards necessary reforms and positive changes,” he said.

The protesters have raised alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Combined Civil Services Examination and the Jharkhand General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination, also known as JSSC-CGL.

During a protest march to the Jharkhand Assembly earlier in the day, a man splashed ink at All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora. The man, later detained by police, said he did not like Ms. Bora calling herself an “anti-national”. Reacting to the incident, Ms. Bora said she was not scared, recalling that she had faced pellet guns, tear gas, and baton charges during student protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

Separately, the health condition of two protesters, Rahul Kranti and Braj Kishor, deteriorated, and they were shifted to Ranchi Sadar Hospital. Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, visited the hospital to enquire about their well-being.

The talks remain inconclusive, with students vowing to continue their protest until their demands are met. The government has said it will take their demands into consideration, but no timeline has been announced for the next round of negotiations.