Ranchi, Aug 12 (IANS) The ongoing student agitation in Ranchi against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations continued for the 20th consecutive day on Wednesday, with no breakthrough in talks between the protesters and the government.
Despite an Assembly gherao, police action, and several rounds of negotiations, the deadlock remains unresolved.
The protesters have placed two principal demands before the government, and on neither issue has a consensus emerged.
The first demand is the cancellation of the 2024 JSSC-CGL examination. More than 2,000 appointments have already been made through this examination, with the selected candidates currently serving in various government departments.
The state government argues that cancelling the examination at this stage would be impractical. It points out that allegations of irregularities have already been examined, and the matter has undergone judicial scrutiny at both the Jharkhand High Court and the Supreme Court.
According to the government, the recruitment process proceeded only after court orders cleared the way for appointments.
Officials also said that the state CID is investigating the complaints related to the examination.
However, student groups have questioned the impartiality and quality of the probe. They allege that the CID failed to present sufficient evidence regarding the alleged irregularities before the courts, thereby allowing the recruitment process to move forward.
The protesters have also cited the arrest of Abhay Tiwari, linked to the examination outsourcing agency TDAPL, as a key basis for their allegations.
According to the students, Tiwari was employed as a marketing manager with the agency and was later selected for the post of Block Supply Officer through the same examination. They argue that his arrest raises serious questions about the integrity of the recruitment process.
However, legal experts note that an arrest by itself does not constitute judicial proof of large-scale irregularities or automatically justify cancellation of an examination. The final outcome will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation and judicial proceedings.
The students’ second major demand is a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in all disputed examinations conducted by the JPSC and JSSC. The state government has not agreed to this demand either. Instead, it has proposed constituting a high-level committee headed by a retired judge to examine the issues.
Student leaders have rejected the proposal, saying they have already lost faith in inquiries conducted by state agencies and now seek an investigation by an independent central agency.
For the protesters, a CBI probe is not merely a demand but a means to restore public confidence in the state’s recruitment processes.
–IANS
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