Govt seriously considered our demands but stir will go on till they are met: J'khand student delegation after 2nd round of talks

The second round of talks between the JMM-led Jharkhand government and representatives of the JPSC-JSSC Aspirant Nyay Manch ended without a final resolution on the students’ demands, with protesters making it clear that their agitation will continue until concrete action is taken.

The students have been protesting over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).

Members of the eight-member student delegation said the government listened to their concerns and appeared to have taken their demands seriously. However, they said assurances alone would not be enough to end the agitation.

A delegation member, Amit, said the students had placed before the government the concerns and difficulties faced by aspirants across Jharkhand.

“We have conveyed every aspect of the pain and suffering of the students of Jharkhand to the government,” he said.

One of the demands raised during the meeting was compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of candidates who died during the physical efficiency tests, or running trials, conducted for the Jharkhand Excise Constable recruitment drive in 2024.

“We will continue the agitation till a concrete conclusion is reached,” Amit told IANS.

Describing the government as a “guardian”, he said the students expected the administration to respond to their concerns because it had been elected by the people.

“We are the ones who voted them to power. The government has assured that it will consider our demands and we are hopeful for that,” he said.

Another delegation member, Chandan, described the meeting as positive and said the students had submitted their demands along with supporting facts and documents.

“We presented all our demands with facts and evidence. Our colleagues had already informed us about all the issues and provided the necessary facts, and we have put every point before the government in detail,” he said.

According to Chandan, government representatives said they would discuss the matter with Chief Minister Hemant Soren and initiate action at the earliest.

However, the students are not prepared to withdraw their protest yet.

“Till our demands are met, we will continue this agitation and those of our colleagues who are on hunger strike will continue their fast. The government should clarify till when our demands will be met,” Chandan said.

Students demand review of examinations conducted by TDPL

A major demand raised by the students concerns examinations conducted by TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL). The protesters have demanded cancellation of examinations conducted by the agency whose results have not yet been declared.

The students have also called for future examinations to be conducted either by a reputed agency such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) or directly by the concerned Commission.

“The government should stop messing with the future of students by giving the examination responsibility to blacklisted companies,” Chandan alleged.

Ravishankar, another member of the eight-member delegation, said the government gave the students sufficient time to present their concerns and recorded the issues raised during the meeting.

He said the students had demanded cancellation of examinations conducted by TDPL and a fast-track process for re-appointment of affected candidates.

The delegation has also sought a CBI investigation into the JSSC CGL examination. Ravishankar said that if the probe establishes irregularities, the examination should be cancelled.

He reiterated the demand for compensation for candidates who died during the physical tests for the Excise Constable recruitment drive.

Students seek six-month deadline for filling vacancies

Dinabandhu Mandal said the students had also demanded that vacancies arising from cancelled examinations be filled within six months and that the merit lists of eligible candidates be released without unnecessary delay.

“From whatever discussion we had, it is understood that the government has seriously considered our demands and hopefully it will take action on them. But till then our protest will continue,” Mandal said.

The latest round of talks has opened a channel for further discussions between the government and the protesting aspirants, but the absence of a concrete timeline for action means the standoff remains unresolved. The students have indicated that the agitation, including the hunger strike by some protesters, will continue until they receive a firm commitment and see action on their key demands.