JPSC Protest: Hemant Government Offers Talks, Students Set Conditions Before Delegation

The student agitation over alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examination has forced the Hemant Soren government's hand. Facing mounting pressure, the state has moved to open talks with protesters camped at Jaipal Singh Stadium in Ranchi.

Chief Minister Soren said he was ready for dialogue, declaring that "all doors are open" to the agitating students. But the students are not walking in unconditionally,  they've placed demands of their own before agreeing to sit down.

Government sends a four-minister delegation

To de-escalate the standoff, the state government constituted a delegation of four ministers to engage with the protesters. Ahead of that, the SDO and ADM (Law and Order) reached the protest site carrying the government's proposal for talks.

SDO Rajat addressed the students directly, conveying the government's willingness to engage in discussions and asking them to nominate a five-member delegation to represent their side.

Students lay down their terms

The protesters, however, aren't taking the offer at face value. Their central demand: a direct conversation with Chief Minister Hemant Soren, not a proxy meeting with officials or ministers alone. They've also insisted that the talks be held in front of the media, with cameras present throughout.

Amid the back-and-forth, students protesting the JPSC and JSSC exam irregularities have finalised their five-member delegation, though the names have not yet been made public.

Minister: "This isn't a paper leak, it's a back-door appointment scam"

Jharkhand minister Radhakrishna Kishore weighed in on the controversy, rejecting the framing of the issue as a simple paper leak. "This is about appointing people through the back door and with ulterior motives," he said. "The agency that prepared the questions or pre-set the candidates is guilty."

He added that taking strict action against those responsible was the government's duty,  one he said Chief Minister Soren and the administration were committed to. "The students want justice and a resolution. The government wants the same," Kishore said, also calling on the opposition to extend cooperation rather than politicize the issue.

Talks likely today

The government is yet to confirm the exact time and venue for the meeting, though a sit-down could happen later this afternoon. The ministerial team expected to lead talks includes Higher Education Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu, Rural Development Minister Deepika Pandey Singh, Social Welfare Minister Chamra Linda, and Labour Minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav.

The delegation is likely to reach the protest site on Thursday. If talks cannot be held there, an alternate public venue is being considered.

Read More: JPSC Exam Irregularities: CID Arrests 5 More, Total Arrests Now 19 in Jharkhand Paper Leak Case