Jharkhand student protest: All you need to know about Vidhan Sabha Gherao

The march to Vidhan Sabha comes after three rounds of talks between the protesters and the state government failed to resolve the dispute

Students protesting in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations will march to the State Legislative Assembly in Ranchi on Monday to hold a “Vidhan Sabha Gherao” protest.

 

The march comes after three rounds of talks between the protesters and the state government failed to resolve the dispute.

 

The protesters are demanding cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination and other exams allegedly linked to irregularities, a CBI probe into the recruitment process, disclosure of category-wise cut-offs and OMR sheets, and reforms to the state’s recruitment system. They have also sought a recruitment calendar on the lines of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Staff Selection Commission (SSC).

 

 

The protest in the state started after results of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination were announced on July 5, as students said there were irregularities in the recruitment process.

 

All about Vidhan Sabha Gherao march

 

Students planning the march today have maintained the “Vidhan Sabha Gherao” protest will remain peaceful, but said they will not compromise on their demand for a CBI inquiry into the alleged examination irregularities.

 

Student leader Ravindra Paswan said that after the second round of talks with the government, students found that the administration was claiming that most of their demands had been accepted, but key issues remained unresolved.

 

"We had categorised our demands into three sections--cancellation of exams, investigation, and reforms. The government did accept and fulfil the demands related to reforms. However, regarding our demands for cancellation--specifically the cancellation of all exams conducted by the TDPL agency, the JSSC-CGL exam, the PGT exam, the Excise exam, and all other exams involving Abhay Tiwari--the government has shown no willingness to agree," said Paswan while talking to news agency ANI. 

 

Paswan also assured that the protest would remain peaceful and constitutional.

 

"If any anti-social element or unruly individual attempts to weaken or incite violence within our movement, we students will firmly oppose them and hand them over to the police," he added.

 

Meanwhile, Additional Director General (ADG) of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) in Jharkhand, Manoj Kaushik, said comprehensive security measures are being put in place for today’s march.

 

"Our priority remains ensuring safety and preventing any harm or adverse action against any student. We urge them that if they wish to protest, they should do so in a completely peaceful manner...," he said, quoted ANI.

How has the state government responded to protests?

 

Amid massive protests, the Jharkhand government has announced a multi-pronged action plan to address the allegations of irregularities in recruitment examinations. It has agreed to investigations by the state Crime Investigation Department (CID) and Enforcement Directorate (ED), while three members of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) resigned on Sunday.

 

The JPSC earlier postponed the Combined Civil Services Mains Exam, scheduled from July 25 to July 27, citing "unavoidable circumstances", amid protests.

 

However, the protesters have rejected the government’s proposed probes and continue to demand a CBI inquiry, particularly into the JSSC-CGL examination and alleged irregularities linked to Abhay Tiwari. This unresolved demand remains the main reason the students have decided to proceed with the Vidhan Sabha Gherao march despite multiple rounds of talks with the government.

 

Who is Abhay Tiwari?

 

Abhay Kumar Tiwari is the alleged mastermind behind the JPSC paper leak and recruitment corruption syndicate. A government employee, Tiwari was arrested by CID, which alleges that he promised government jobs for ₹25-40 lakh.

 

Tiwari has reportedly cleared several examinations himself, including the Northern Coalfields Limited preliminary test, JSSC Postgraduate Trained Teacher and Combined Graduate Level examinations, and JPSC examinations for Assistant Conservator of Forests, Forest Range Officer and Food Safety Officer. His latest success was in the 11th Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Examination.

 

He previously served as the marketing manager of TRS-Data Processing Private Limited, a Lucknow-based testing agency blacklisted by the Uttar Pradesh government over alleged examination irregularities. Investigators allege that he remained connected to the company after becoming a Block Supply Officer in Poriyahat, Godda, and used his own record as a successful aspirant to assure candidates of selection in exchange for hefty payments.