Ranchi: Protests by students in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations intensified on Monday, with demonstrators asserting that their movement would continue until the government orders a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter.
The agitation gathered pace as student leader Devendra Nath Mahto entered the second day of his indefinite hunger strike. Addressing supporters, Mahto said the protest was not limited to a handful of candidates but represented the aspirations of students across the state.
“This is a fight for every student in Jharkhand. The government will eventually have to respond because we are raising the voice of lakhs of young people who have worked hard to build their future,” he said.
Students participating in the protest said they had recently held a video conference with education activists Abhijeet Dipke and Ashutosh Ranka to discuss the issue. During the interaction, they highlighted concerns over alleged paper leaks and irregularities in both Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations.
The protesters also appealed to political parties to extend support to their movement, saying the issue transcends politics and concerns the future of the state’s youth. They urged both the ruling alliance and the Opposition to back their demand for a fair and transparent investigation.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Crime Investigation Department (CID), which is probing alleged irregularities in the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination, carried out simultaneous raids at more than 20 locations across the state on Monday.
Search operations were conducted in Ranchi, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Deoghar, Godda, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh and Palamu. The raids included coaching institutes and properties linked to individuals under investigation, including locations in Ranchi’s Dhurwa and Namkum areas.
Investigators searched documents, computers, laptops, mobile phones and other electronic devices. Several documents and digital records were reportedly seized and will undergo forensic examination as part of the ongoing probe.
Earlier, the CID had searched the offices of JPSC and the examination-conducting agency TDPL, seizing documents and electronic records related to the examination process.
So far, 11 people connected with the commission and the examination process have been arrested. Based on their interrogation, investigators have expanded the scope of the inquiry.
Former JPSC Chairman and former Jharkhand Chief Secretary L. Khiangte has also been questioned multiple times and has again been summoned by the CID.
The investigation is examining various aspects of the recruitment process, including question paper management, evaluation procedures and overall examination administration. Officials believe forensic analysis of the seized material could reveal fresh evidence and lead to further action.
The controversy began after allegations of large-scale irregularities surfaced in the results of the 14th JPSC Preliminary Examination.
Adding momentum to the movement, the Cockroach Janta Party, which had earlier led protests over the NEET paper leak at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, has now extended its support to students protesting in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in JPSC, JSSC CGL and other competitive examinations.
With inputs from IANS