Amid ongoing student protests in Jharkhand regarding JPSC exams and job opportunities, the government held a press conference on Sunday evening at 8:00 PM. After three rounds of negotiations with students, Minister Suddiviya Kumar presented the government's position to the press.
The government appealed to the students to postpone planned demonstrations for the following day, stating that the government is prepared to meet most of their demands. A major decision was announced during the press conference: the state government is ready to cancel the 14th JPSC exam. Furthermore, an investigation into financial fraud and irregularities in JPSC exams will be conducted with the involvement of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Minister Suddiviya Kumar clarified that the entire matter is being investigated at a deep level under the directive of the Chief Minister. The government also assured that all future exams in Jharkhand will be conducted completely transparently and cleanly. To achieve this, improvements will be made to the examination procedure (SOP), and a dedicated email address will be created to receive complaints and suggestions from students.
Regarding the CGL exams, Minister Suddiviya Kumar noted that the employment of all successful candidates was only carried out after a court ruling. Nevertheless, he warned of potential legal complications in cases already within the judicial process that secured jobs through the court. Further review of the second JPSC results based on the SBI report can also be expected.
The government sincerely called upon protesting students and their parents to refrain from tomorrow's rallies, emphasizing that it is seriously considering their demands and is ready to accept them. The government guaranteed that it would not play with the students' future and asked them to support public order by withdrawing their protests in the interest of the students.
Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Champai Soren, posed a sharp question to the state government in his tweet on X. He asked why it was so difficult for the government to cancel the exams and conduct a CBI investigation if it was not involved in the job buying and selling scheme.
Against the backdrop of student unrest, three JPSC members—Azita Bhattacharya, Jamil Ahmed, and Anima Hansada—resigned. They submitted their resignation to Governor Santosh Gangwar, which was accepted. Meanwhile, the CID will interrogate Azita Bhattacharya on August 10 to ascertain the circumstances of the irregularities in the entrance exams. Among the resigning officials were Azita Bhattacharya, Jamil Ahmed, and Anima Hansada, whose resignations were accepted by the governor. Previously, the Chairman of JPSC, L. Khyangte, also resigned on July 22.
Currently, the CID is investigating alleged irregularities in JPSC exams and interviewing commission members. Dr. Azita Bhattacharya's interrogation is scheduled for August 10. The government and student representatives conducted three lengthy rounds of negotiations to calm the protests. The Chief Minister himself wrote a letter to the students to persuade them, and the government claims that 98 percent of the students' demands have been met, although agreement has not been reached on several key issues.
