Support Grows for Jharkhand Students Protesting Recruitment Exam Irregularities

Solidarity for Students in Jharkhand

(Sanjay Kumar Day) Ranchi, August 7 - A man who provided free meals and drinking water to protesters at Delhi's Jantar Mantar has traveled to Jharkhand to support students and job seekers who have been demonstrating for two weeks against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams. Mohammad Junaid Malik, a resident of Ghaziabad, has pledged to stand firmly with the protesting students and job aspirants demanding the cancellation of the 14th Civil Services Examination conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC). The protesters are also calling for an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a panel of retired High Court judges from outside the state.

In addition, they are advocating for significant reforms within the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). Junaid, a 30-year-old volunteer who previously assisted in protests led by the 'Cockroach People's Party' over NEET question paper leaks, stated, "We have arranged breakfast and are working to provide good meals and other essential facilities for the protesters. This is a collective effort."

Junaid emphasized that this initiative is not solely his responsibility, saying, "Our entire team from Delhi is here, and we expect more people to join us today. We will serve vegetarian biryani in the evening." He affirmed that the volunteers will continue to support the students until they receive justice, stating, "We stand with each one of them and will remain by their side."

He also urged the Hemant Soren government to listen to the students and address their demands. Junaid pointed out, "It is raining, and water has accumulated at the protest site. This increases the risk of mosquitoes breeding and spreading diseases. This is a crucial time for these students to focus on their studies. Why should they be forced to spend this valuable time here?"

The protests against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams in Jharkhand continued for the 14th day on Friday, with six protesters on an indefinite hunger strike. The demonstrators expressed that they had to resort to this extreme measure due to the government's failure to take concrete action despite repeated appeals. Five protesters, including two women, joined the hunger strike led by Devendra Nath Mahto of the Jharkhand Democratic Revolutionary Front (JLRF), who has been on hunger strike for the past six days.

Following Chief Minister Hemant Soren's statement that his government is open to dialogue, the protesting students formed an 11-member delegation on Thursday to negotiate with the government to resolve the deadlock. However, the stalemate persists, as the protesting students and job seekers claim they have not received any formal invitation from the state government to discuss their demands and find solutions.

The protest, which began on July 25 at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reform Forum, has become one of the largest student-led movements in the state in recent years.