No paper leak, issues can be resolved through dialogue: Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari

Jharkhand Health and Medical Education Minister Irfan Ansari on Thursday denied allegations of paper leaks in the state and said the concerns of protesting students could be addressed through dialogue.

His remarks came as the agitation by students and job aspirants over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) entered its 13th day.

The protest at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi has gained support from several student organisations. Representatives of various student groups reached the protest site on Thursday morning and expressed solidarity with the aspirants, backing their demand for greater transparency and reforms in the recruitment process.

Speaking to reporters, Ansari said there had been no paper leak in Jharkhand and asserted that the government had taken action wherever irregularities were detected.

He also opposed the demand for cancellation of the JPSC examination, arguing that such a decision could trigger another round of protests from candidates who had already qualified.

"People are saying that JPSC should be cancelled. However, if it happens, then the students who have qualified for JPSC will also sit in protest tomorrow, demanding that the examination paper should not be cancelled," Ansari said.

The minister maintained that the issues could be addressed without cancelling the entire examination. "There are some mistakes, and we can correct them. Every problem can be resolved through discussion," he said.

The student movement, led primarily by JPSC aspirants, has intensified over the past two weeks. Protesters have continued their agitation despite overnight rainfall and difficult weather conditions, insisting that they will not withdraw until their demands are addressed.

Student leader Devendra Mahto has also continued his indefinite hunger strike in support of the demands, while several protesters remained at the demonstration site through the night.

Meanwhile, a student delegation was scheduled to meet representatives of the Jharkhand government on Thursday. The talks are being closely watched, with the protesting students hoping that direct discussions with the government will lead to concrete action on their demands and help resolve the standoff.

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