Hundreds of students continued their protest for the fifth consecutive day in Ranchi on Sunday, demanding a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examination, the JSSC-CGL recruitment test and other state recruitment exams.
The protesters, who have been on an indefinite sit-in at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium since July 29, raised slogans such as "Order CBI probe in JPSC", "Long live Students Unity" and "Shame on Hemant Soren".
The agitating students are demanding cancellation of the 14th JPSC Combined Preliminary Test held on April 19, an independent probe by central agencies, including the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED), into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the JPSC and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) over the past seven years, and the introduction of a fifth "not attempted" option in OMR sheets.
"Paper leaks in JPSC have happened several times. This time, OMR sheets of candidates have been leaked. Chief Minister Hemant Soren has ordered a CID probe, but we are not satisfied," JPSC aspirant Rahul Kumar Kranti told PTI.
He alleged that previous probes into the JSSC-CGL paper leak had not led to action and claimed that the latest investigation could also be "covered up" after a few months.
"We have completely lost faith in the ongoing CID probe. We demand a CBI probe into all recruitment examinations conducted by the JPSC and JSSC over the past seven years. We also demand the chief minister's resignation on moral grounds," Kranti said.
Later in the evening, thousands of students took out a torchlight procession from Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium to Albert Ekka Chowk, raising slogans against the JMM-led alliance government and reiterating their demand for an impartial probe into the alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC, JSSC-CGL and other state-level recruitment examinations.
The protesters warned that if the government failed to address their concerns, they would march to the Jharkhand Assembly and stage a gherao in the coming days.
"We have been holding protests, but no government officials approached us to listen to our concerns on these issues. This clearly shows the insensitivity of this JMM-led alliance government towards the thousands of students and youths of the state," they alleged.
CJP extends support
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has expressed support for the ongoing student protests.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on Sunday said he had spoken to the protesting students, asserting that his party stands in solidarity with their demands. The CJP had recently spearheaded a major agitation at Delhi's Jantar Mantar over the alleged NEET paper leak.
"Spoke to the students who are protesting in Jharkhand over irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment exams. The CJP stands with all the students in Jharkhand and supports their demands," Dipke said in a post on X.
(With inputs from PTI)