The ongoing protest by job aspirants in Jharkhand over alleged discrepancies in state recruitment examinations has entered its twelfth day, with hundreds of students continuing their indefinite sit-in at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium.

The agitation began after the declaration of the results of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Preliminary Examination on July 5. Since then, candidates have accused authorities of irregularities in the selection process and have demanded greater transparency and accountability from the government.

As the movement expanded, the Hemant Soren government initiated efforts to engage with the protesters. On Wednesday, Ranchi Sub-Divisional Officer Kumar Rajat visited the protest venue and informed students that the government was willing to hold discussions. He requested the protesters to nominate a delegation of five to seven representatives for formal talks, assuring them that all concerns would be considered.

Students Demand Open Discussions

The state government has constituted a panel comprising ministers and senior officials to negotiate with the students. According to officials, complaints related to the recruitment examinations are already being investigated, and the authorities are working to expedite the process.

However, the protesters rejected the proposal for private discussions, insisting that any meeting with the government should be conducted transparently and in the presence of the media.

Student leader Devendra Mahato, who has been on a hunger strike for the past five days, said that the protesters would soon nominate representatives for the dialogue process but clarified that the agitation and fast would continue until their demands were fulfilled.

CID Arrests Exam Agency Official

A key demand of the protesters has been a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged irregularities. The state government, meanwhile, has maintained that the Crime Investigation Department (CID) is already conducting a thorough probe.

In a major development, the CID arrested Rakshak Singh, an accountant associated with TDPL, the agency responsible for conducting the examination. Singh, who had also qualified for the JPSC preliminary test, was taken into custody in Lucknow and later brought to Ranchi.

Authorities have arrested five more individuals in connection with the case, taking the total number of arrests to 20. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is examining digital records, application data and other documents to determine the extent of the alleged wrongdoing.

CJP Extends Support to Protesters

Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke has announced support for the students' movement, describing it as an effort to ensure institutional accountability.

Addressing reporters in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dipke said members of his organisation would travel to Jharkhand to stand with the protesters. He argued that the movement reflected a broader crisis of confidence in institutions and stressed the need for sustained public pressure to demand accountability.

Political Reactions Intensify

The agitation has also sparked a political confrontation. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for not commenting on the protests and questioned the silence of both the Congress leadership and the Jharkhand government.

Responding to the criticism, Jharkhand minister Irfan Ansari said that the government had already opened channels of communication and was prepared to consider the students' demands.

"The government is willing to engage in dialogue. We will hear the concerns of the students, and if their demands are justified, appropriate steps will be taken," Ansari said.