Jharkhand agrees to cancel 3 examinations; all 3 JPSC members resign

For its part, the government said the state cannot cancel the CGL exam results as the process was conducted under the monitoring of the Supreme Court and High Court.

The talks, which began around noon at the state guest house in Ranchi, saw two major factions of the students’ movement, besides representatives associated with AISA, meeting the government panel that comprised ministers Deepika Pandey Singh, Sanjay Prasad Yadav and Chamra Linda besides Sonu. The two factions of protesters are JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch and the JPSC-JSSC Abhyarthi Nyay Manch.

While there was agreement on several broad demands, the student groups remained at odds with the government over some aspects of the proposed investigation into the JSSC-CGL examination.

Even as the government proposed a high-level judiciary inquiry committee headed by a retired judge to probe the matter, the students remained firm on their demand of cancellation of the exam.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Hemant Soren reiterated his promise to deliver justice to the agitating youths while asserting that dialogue, not batons, can solve all problems. Soren on Sunday also alleged that vested interests were working to disrupt democracy in the state, adding the students’ stir should not be politicised.

“Unable to accept the state’s self-reliance, vested interests are working at full force in Jharkhand to disrupt democracy here. Samvad and not ‘lathi-danda-bandook’ (dialogue, not batons), can solve all problems.

“Weapons are meant for enemies at the border. I promise the exam protesters that justice will be delivered with full transparency,” the CM said, addressing Jharkhand Adivasi Mahotsav. “Justice will not only be done, but will also be seen to be done,” he said.

Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar also urged the students to solve the matter through “dialogue” and not agitation, while saying that the government’s doors were always open for them.

Earlier in the day, the Governor accepted the resignation of JPSC members Ajeeta Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda and Jamal Ahmad, according to a statement issued by the Lok Bhavan.

In the evening, addressing a press conference in Ranchi, minister Sonu said the state cannot cancel the CGL exam results as the process was conducted under the monitoring of the top court and the High Court, and many candidates have already joined their postings. Cancelling it without valid reasons would invite judicial review, he said.

The government also announced a new portal to collect feedback from students to make exams more transparent in the future and to finalise the SOPs.

‘We will not compromise’

Student leader Ravindra Paswan said, “Most of our demands have been met, including the one for cancellation of the 14th JPSC exam. But we will not compromise till our demand for a CBI probe is fulfilled. We will continue our proposed march to the Jharkhand Assembly on August 10 (Monday).”

According to the decisions announced after the talks, the government will cancel the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) backlog 2023 examination, JPSC backlog 2025 examination, and the 14th JPSC preliminary examination.

Chandan Rajak, one of the organisers of JPSC-JSSC Abhyarthi Nyay Manch, said the government panel has informed the students that criminal aspects of cases related to these examinations will be investigated by the CID, while their financial and economic aspects will be examined by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

“We demanded to cancel all the exams related to the TDPL testing agency but they didn’t agree to it. They said they will initiate inquiry into all the exams related to Abhay Tiwari and TDPL,” added Rajak.

Abhay Tiwari alias Manoj Kunmar Tiwari, a Block Supply Officer (BSO) in Godda district, accused of playing a major role in the recruitment racket, was arrested in the case earlier this month.

According to investigators, Tiwari was simultaneously working as the Marketing Manager of TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL), the private testing agency associated with conducting the examination.

On the JSSC-CGL examination, Rajak said, “We want the cancellation of the exam as we provided all the evidence of the paper leak.”

He said that as part of long-term reforms, the government has said it will seek assistance from institutions such as IIMs and XLRI to undertake comprehensive reforms in the functioning of the JPSC and JSSC.

The government also agreed to establish fast-track courts for speedy disposal of cases and proposed that reports of all economic and judicial investigations be submitted within 90 days, according to the students.

Though student delegations had held discussions with government representatives earlier as well, the Sunday meetings were conducted through separate delegations representing different factions of the ongoing agitation.

Meanwhile, on World Indigenous Day, several members of the Adivasi communities joined the protest at Jaipal Singh Munda stadium to express solidarity with the agitating students.

Nineteen people have been arrested so far in connection with the alleged irregularities in JPSC examinations.