‘NEET and JPSC Are Different Issues’: Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat Responds To Republic’s Questions on Jharkhand Protests

Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat, who represents Lohardaga in Jharkhand, has defended the Opposition’s response to the ongoing student protests in the state, drawing a distinction between the NEET controversy and the allegations surrounding Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations.

In an exclusive interaction with Republic TV’s Harsh Trivedi, Bhagat was questioned on why Opposition leaders, including the Leader of Opposition, had reached the Prime Minister’s residence during the NEET controversy and demanded the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, but were not seen taking a similar approach over the ongoing student agitation in Jharkhand.

Responding, Bhagat said the two issues were different, pointing out that NEET is conducted by the National Testing Agency, a central agency, while the Jharkhand Public Service Commission is a state body.

“Does the Bharatiya Janata Party not know that NEET is conducted by the National Testing Agency, which is a central agency, whereas JPSC is a state agency? In NEET, multiple incidents of paper leaks took place. In Jharkhand, some people allegedly made changes to OMR sheets to get their students through, but there has been no paper leak in Jharkhand,” Bhagat said. He added, “NEET was a national issue and therefore we raised it at the national level. However, Rahul Gandhi has spoken for the students of Jharkhand and we are investigating the matter.”

Bhagat also hit back at the BJP, saying those “who only intend to find faults” would keep looking for shortcomings and had now started making such statements after failing to find a “gap” in the Opposition’s position.

From administrative service to politics

Bhagat has represented Lohardaga in both the Jharkhand Assembly and Lok Sabha and served as president of the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee from 2013 to 2017. He won the Lohardaga Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general election.

Before entering electoral politics, Bhagat served in the state administrative service and resigned in 2005 to enter politics. He has also previously raised concerns over the functioning of the JPSC and recruitment examinations in Jharkhand.

Student agitation continues in Jharkhand

The remarks come amid continuing protests by JPSC-JSSC aspirants in Ranchi over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. Students have demanded greater transparency, reforms in the examination system and an independent probe into the allegations.

The agitation has included a hunger strike, while the state government has held talks with representatives of the protesting students. However, the discussions have so far failed to end the agitation.

The protesters have continued to press their demands, with the agitation entering its 15th day. The government has indicated that further discussions will be held with student representatives.