New Delhi: Jharkhand’s protest students have got a great victory after weeks of protest and long hunger strike. The Hemant Soren government has agreed to one of their key demands which is the cancellation of Jharkhand Staff Selection Board Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examination.
The decision followed days of massive protest by the students and job aspirants in Ranchi against “malady” in recruitment process. The student leaders had been asking for action on the matter of the alleged issues in government recruitment exams and had also continued their protest even in the face of pressure.
The government will cancel the JSSC-CGL exam, says Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday. The exam to recruit personnel at the government’s Central Workshops in five districts, which is related to TDPL (TSR Data Processing Private Limited), has also been cancelled. The state has called for an inquiry into irregularities in government recruitment exams since 2014.
The decision led to jubilation amongst the majority of the students who protested in Ranchi. Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a 16-day hunger strike, lifted his fast after the government has agreed to the major demands. The move was an important achievement for students who had gone on the peaceful march, he said.
The government has also announced measures that will enhance the examination system. Under the chairmanship of IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal, a committee will be set up that will study the reforms and explore methods to increase the transparency and reliability of recruitment exams in the future.
But it’s not the end of the story. A few students are still calling for a CBI investigation for the alleged irregularities. Meanwhile, candidates who had already appeared for the JSSC-CGL exam have complained about their jobs being cut due to the cancellation.
From the students’ perspective, though, this decision is significant for the protesters. Their leader, Geetabir Nehru, has been put on the hunger strike for weeks, and his demand for the cancellation of the examination scheduled by the disputed JSSC-CGL has finally been accepted.
The Jharkhand student movement has now shifted the spotlight on “fair recruitment practices”, transparency and the need for “trustworthy” government exams.
