Jharkhand students call off hunger strike after govt cancels JSSC-CGL, TDPL exams

Four students, including student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, ended their hunger strike on Aug 18 after the Jharkhand government announced the cancellation of all examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) and TDPL. However, the JPSC-JSSC Reform Forum has announced that its agitation will continue over its demand for a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.

The four protesters, Devendra Nath Mahto, Umm-e-Habiba, Prem Nayak and Kush Mahto, ended their hunger strike at around 1.15 a.m. at Ranchi Sadar Hospital after the state government’s decision. Ministers Deepika Pandey Singh and Irfan Ansari offered them juice to formally end the fast.

Speaking after ending his hunger strike, Mahto said, “Today, on the 16th day of our hunger strike, we ended our fast in a dignified manner. With the joint initiative of Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari, Minister Deepika Pandey and our MLA Jairam Mahto, we decided to suspend our hunger strike. All the demands for which we had been protesting constitutionally and peacefully have been fulfilled...”

JLKM president Jairam Kumar Mahato also welcomed the government’s decision, calling it historic. “I would undoubtedly thank the government. This is a historic decision, as the CGL examination process had already reached the joining stage. Despite this, the government respected the sentiments of the students...” he said.

The decision to cancel all examinations conducted by JSSC-CGL and TDPL was taken at a special Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday.

The announcement triggered celebrations among students protesting at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. Despite heavy rain, protesters embraced each other, distributed sweets, raised slogans and celebrated with colours and fireworks. They described the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination as a major victory after 24 days of agitation.

However, the students made it clear that their movement has not ended completely. Their key pending demand is a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.

JPSC-JSSC Reform Forum spokesperson Ravindra Paswan said the government had accepted their most important demand by cancelling the examinations, but no decision had yet been taken on the CBI probe. He said the agitation would continue until there was clarity on the issue.

Student leader Piyush Kumar termed the government’s decision the “first major victory” but said several issues, including the 11th to 13th JPSC Civil Services Examination, remain unresolved. The protesters will review the government’s decision and official notification before deciding their next course of action.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren had earlier said the SIT and CID investigations into the JSSC-CGL matter had revealed several important and startling facts, including indications of alleged collusion among different agencies.

The government has also decided to conduct a comprehensive enquiry into recruitment examinations conducted by the JPSC and JSSC since 2014. In addition, a committee headed by IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal has been constituted to recommend reforms to make the examination process more transparent and prevent irregularities in the future.

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