Jharkhand

Bihar, Jharkhand sign pact to resolve 25-year-old Sone water dispute

Bihar and Jharkhand on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding to share 7.75 million acre-feet of water from the Sone River, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, "permanently resolving" the nearly 25-year-old water dispute between the two states, officials said. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil, the deputy chief minister of Bihar, the Union home secretary, and senior officials from the central government and the two states were present at the signing ceremony. In a post on X, Shah said the agreement would ensure adequate irrigation and drinking water for large populations in Bihar and Jharkhand. "It will directly benefit lakhs of farmers in both states and give new momentum to the development of rural areas. If all states move forward as one team, there is no problem that cannot be resolved," he said. Speaking at the ceremony, Shah said the agreement to resolve the nearly 25-year-o

SC issues notice to Centre on CBI probe plea over JPSC exam irregularities

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Centre and the state government on a plea seeking an independent, time-bound probe by the CBI into alleged malpractices in the Jharkhand Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana sought a response from the Union of India, the Jharkhand government, the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and others. Senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the plea seeks a CBI inquiry or an inquiry by a former judge of this court. The top court was hearing a petition filed by activist Harisharan Devgan, through advocate Satyam Singh Rajput, for a hearing. "The present writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India is being preferred in public interest seeking urgent intervention of this court in relation to serious and substantial concerns regarding the integrity, fairness, transparency and credibility of the ...

J'khand protesters allege govt 'betrayal' after HC stays exam cancellations

Resentment simmered among exam protesters in Jharkhand on Saturday, who accused the Hemant Soren government of "betraying" them by failing to properly defend in the High Court its decision to cancel several recruitment exams, a key demand of the agitators. The BJP extended its support to the protesters and accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of showcasing a "duplicitous attitude" over students' welfare. The ruling JMM, on the other hand, alleged the BJP was using students to further its political interests. The JMM-led government's decision to cancel 22 job exams and order a probe into 23 others quelled the 26-day stir against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment exams but triggered another protest by successful candidates, many of whom moved the High Court fearing job loss. Hearing their pleas, the Jharkhand High Court stayed a number of government notifications cancelling recruitment exams. This caused disgruntlement among the exam protesters. Members of the 'JPSC-J

3 steel factory employees die in fire at plant in Jharkhand's Ramgarh

At least three employees of a steel factory in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district died, and one was injured after a fire broke out in the unit, police said on Saturday. The blaze spread from a captive power plant in the steel factory in Helal at midnight on Friday, they said. "At least four employees received severe burn injuries. Three of them died during treatment in a hospital," Ramgarh Superintendent of Police (SP), Mukesh Kumar Lunayat, told PTI. He said the exact cause of the fire is being investigated. Barkakana Police Station in-charge Uma Shankar Verma said the deceased have been identified as Sanjeev, Vinit and Abhishek, he said. Chief Factory Inspector Manish Sinha said, "The fire broke out in the captive power plant of the steel factory Maa Chinnamastika Ispat. A two-member team, comprising a factory inspector and Chotanagpur deputy chief inspector, has been sent to the site for investigation." According to eyewitnesses, a large number of workers were present at the factory

J'khand HC stays cancellation of appointments through 11th, 13th JPSC exams

The development came after successful candidates of the 11th and 13th JPSC examinations protested as they are afraid of losing their jobs.

3.5-bn-year-old rock found in Jharkhand that may hold oldest signs of life

A rock from Jharkhand contains carbon signatures that researchers say point to ancient microbial activity, offering a rare glimpse into life on early Earth

J'khand exam row: Students halt 26-day protest, give govt 2 months to act

Students protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment exams on Wednesday suspended their 26-day agitation and gave a 2-month ultimatum to the state government to resolve issues. The announcement comes a day after the JMM-led government issued notifications cancelling 22 recruitment exams and ordering a probe into 23 others conducted by the state public service commission and an outsourced agency since 2014. "We are now suspending the stir and giving a two-month ultimatum to the government to resolve the issues and conduct a fair probe into recruitment exam irregularities," said a leader of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch. The manch, which led the students' agitation at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium here, said three protesters - Rupesh Kumar Pal, Savita Kumari, Rahul Kranti - ended their 15-day fast on Wednesday. Manch leader Ravindra Paswan said, "The 26-day protest by students forced J'khand government to cancel 22 recruitment exams and launch a probe into 23 ...

Jharkhand cancels 44 govt exams; 2,000 fear job loss: Check latest updates

Jharkhand govt has cancelled 44 exams and formed a 2-month reform panel, as appointees launch a counter-protest against exam cancellations; Devendra Mahto has said that the protest will continue

Jharkhand govt releases list of 44 exams cancelled due to irregularities

The Jharkhand government on Tuesday night released a list of 44 recruitment exams that have been cancelled due to irregularities, amid student protests over the issue. Issuing eight notifications late at night, the Jharkhand government said the cancelled exams include those conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and outsourced agency TSR Data Processing Pvt Ltd (TDPL) since 2014. The exams cancelled include recruitment for drug inspectors, assistant professors, deputy collectors, dental doctors, assistant engineers, civil judges, additional public prosecutors and forest range officers among others. The state government, after a cabinet meeting on Monday, announced the cancellation of the JSSC-Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination, one of the key demands of protesting students, as well as all examinations conducted by outsourced agency TDPL and the results published by it.

Jharkhand cancels exams after protests, Mahto ends 16-day fast: What's next

After weeks of protests over alleged recruitment exam irregularities, Jharkhand cancels the JSSC-CGL and TDPL tests, while Mahto ends his 16-day fast; the fight now moves to reforms

Jharkhand cancels JSSC exam, orders inquiry into errors since 2014

JSSC Combined Graduate Level examination also cancelled; government to set up exam reforms committee headed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal

Rahul urges Soren to meet protesting Jharkhand students, resolve issue

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren over the student protests in the state, urging him to personally meet with representatives of the protesting students and take appropriate action towards the resolution of the issue. Gandhi stressed that the protest by the students in Jharkhand has been peaceful and their demands are legitimate. The Congress is part of the ruling JMM-led government in Jharkhand. In his letter to Soren, Gandhi said the youth of India is its future and asserted that "we owe them our solidarity and support at this moment of crisis". "The Congress party believes that the right to peaceful protest as enshrined in the Constitution of India is one of the central pillars of our democracy. We have, therefore, offered our full support to students protesting paper leaks and irregularities in the education system over the last few months," the Leader of Opposition said in his letter. It is also our belief that the Indian educati

Datanomics: Jharkhand student protests expose deep socio-economic fractures

Jharkhand's student protests over exam paper leaks have renewed questions about the state's education spending, unemployment and persistent poverty levels

Jharkhand CM urges PM Modi to rethink MMDR Bill, flags ₹11,000 crore risk

Hemant Soren says proposed restrictions on states' mineral taxation powers raise constitutional and federal concerns and could hit Jharkhand's mining revenues

Jharkhand job exam protest enters day 21, students plan I-Day march

The students' protest against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations entered its 21st day on Friday, with demonstrators planning to take out a 'Tiranga Yatra' on the occasion of the country's 80th Independence Day celebrations on August 15. They also cautioned the Ranchi district administration against an FIR lodged over the violence during the August 10 march towards the state assembly, asserting that the 'Tiranga Yatra' on Independence Day would further strengthen their movement. The protesters, under the banner of JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, have been demanding greater transparency in recruitment examinations, cancellation of several tests and an independent probe by the CBI or a panel of retired judges from outside the state. The police continued examining video footage to identify miscreants involved in creating violence during the 'Vidhan Sabha March' by the job aspirants on Monday. The FIR was lodged against 300 unnamed people over the August 10 march towa

Jharkhand exam stir enters Day 19, students vow to intensify agitation

Students protesting the alleged irregularities in the recruitment examinations under the banner of JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch on Tuesday announced that they would continue the agitation till all demands are met. The Manch members who took part in a 'silent procession' here in the evening said they have decided to intensify the agitation, and details will be shared soon. "We hoped the state government would come out with some positive message for the students after Monday's protest, in which over 50,000 students from across the state participated," he said. "But we did not get any positive output from the government. So, we have decided to continue our agitation at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium till all our demands are met," said JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader, Ravindra Paswan, in a press conference here. Piyush Kumar, another leader, said they have now decided to intensify their protest. "We will soon announce the details of the future course of action of the protest," he said. Kumar a

Jharkhand student protest enters 18th day amid BJP bandh, ABVP march

The protest by students over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment exams entered its 18th day on Tuesday, with the BJP observing a state-wide bandh, while ABVP announced that it would organise a march to the state assembly during the day. The saffron party called the bandh from 8 am to midnight to protest against the police action on demonstrators during their march to Vidhan Sabha on Monday. The students and job aspirants have been agitating since July 25, demanding transparency in recruitment examinations, reforms in the functioning of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission(JSSC), cancellation of several examinations and an independent investigation by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state. Six demonstrators have also been observing an indefinite hunger strike to press their demands, with two of them hospitalised. The sixth round of talks between the Jharkhand government and the protesting

BJP calls for Jharkhand bandh over police action on protesting students

Normal life was affected in parts of Jharkhand on Tuesday as BJP workers enforced a state-wide bandh in protest against police action on job aspirants during their march to the state assembly a day ago over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. Most schools and business establishments remained closed, while vehicular movement was very low in the state capital Ranchi and several other cities. The shutdown, announced after the police used water cannons, tear gas and batons against protesters in Ranchi on Monday, was being observed from 8 am to midnight, with essential services kept outside its purview, BJP state president Aditya Sahu said. The BJP described the police action as "atrocities" against students and accused the JMM-led government of using force instead of addressing their grievances. The party has also backed the protesters' demand for an independent probe into the alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service .

Jharkhand protest Day 17: Police lathicharge, use water cannons on students

Aspirants clashed with police during their 'gherao' march to Jharkhand Assembly, and CID arrested ex-JPSC chairperson L Khiangte over exam irregularities. Here are the latest updates on the protest

Jharkhand Police use water cannons on student protesters in Ranchi

A large number of student protesters gathered near the Vidhan Sabha in Ranchi during the march led by JPSC-JSSC Reform Morcha against the alleged irregularities in the examinations