Jharkhand government and protesting students began the sixth round of talks in Ranchi as the agitation over alleged examination irregularities entered its 16th day
Students are demanding the scrapping of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination and an independent probe into alleged irregularities
Five earlier rounds of talks failed to resolve the deadlock, while Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have backed the protesting students
Jharkhand Student Protest: Sixth Round Of Talks Underway Over JPSC-JSSC Exam Row
Jharkhand government and protesting students held their sixth round of talks over alleged JPSC-JSSC examination irregularities as the Ranchi agitation entered its 16th day
Summary
Sixth round of talks between the Jharkhand government and protesting students are underway today, Sunday. An eight-member delegation of JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch met with Jharkhand Ministers Dipika Pandey Singh, Sudivya Kumar, Chamra Linda, and Sanjay Yadav at the State Guest House in Ranchi as the protest has entered its 16th day.
Five previous rounds failed to resolve the deadlock. Students are protesting alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC, the recruitment examinations. A five-member delegation from the Left-backed students' union AISA has also taken part in the talks.
What Are Students Demanding?
The current paper leak allegations primarily target the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination, which occurred on April 19, 2026. The Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2023 examination remains another central issue.
Alleged leaks during the January 28, 2024 test cancelled the subsequent February 4 exams,. Rescheduled tests held on September 21 and 22, 2024, faced similar accusations.
The protesters at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi demanded cancellation of all JSSC CGL, JSSC JE, and PGT exams after 2019, a CBI investigation into the irregularities, strict action against the "mafias and agencies involved", disclosure of category-wise cut-offs (UR, EWS, BC-I, BC-II, SC, ST), OMR copies, and response sheets for transparency regarding the process and a recruitment calendar modelled after UPSC/SSC standards.
Meanwhile, a protester told ANI that a medical team visited repeatedly during the night intervening Saturday and Sunday and efforts were made to remove Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahato from the protest site, similar to activist Sonam Wangchuk's removal from the Jantar Mantar during the Delhi student protests.
What Happened So Far?
Student Leader Devendra Nath Mahto expressed his resolve for justice even as his health continues to plummet.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he said, “Decline in health… Struggle continues… Though the body may be weakening due to the continuous struggle and fatigue, the resolve in this fight for students' rights and justice remains unshaken.”
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Meanwhile, Union Minister Annapurna Devi on Sunday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party of "double standards" and a "duplicitous character" for remaining silent on the ongoing protests by exam takers in Jharkhand.
She questioned why the Congress leadership, which is often vocal about student issues in other parts of the country, has ignored the agitations in Jharkhand.
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