J'khand: Govt-students talks end without breakthrough, stir to continue

The first round of talks between the Jharkhand government and protesting students over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations ended but failed to break the deadlock, with the students vowing to continue their agitation until all their demands, including cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examination, are met.The students also warned that they would go ahead with their planned Vidhan Sabha march on August 10 if the government failed to fulfil their demands by Sunday.
The first round of discussions was held between a 10-member delegation of the JPSC/JSSC Reforms Manch and a government panel headed by Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar. "The meeting with the Jharkhand government was held in a positive atmosphere. It assured us that our demands would be considered. However, we have decided to continue our protest till all our demands, including cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination, are met," student delegation leader Ravindra Paswan told reporters after the meeting. A protesting student, Khushbu, says, "The government already knows the solution. They know there has been a scam, we know it, and the whole of Jharkhand knows it. So what is the point of holding talks? 

Ranchi, Jharkhand: A protesting student, Khushbu, says, "The government already knows the solution. They know there has been a scam, we know it, and the whole of Jharkhand knows it. So what is the point of holding talks? They should simply cancel the examination. Whatever we are… pic.twitter.com/MJZwoLRgZi

— IANS (@ians_india) August 6, 2026

Meanwhile, another group of protesters led by Devendra Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for the past six days, said it had also received an invitation from the government for talks and had submitted the names of an eight-member delegation for discussions.The agitation over the alleged irregularities in the JPSC recruitment examinations entered its 14th day on Friday, with six protesters continuing their hunger strike.
Two Left-backed student organisations, the All India Students' Association (AISA) and the All India Students' Federation (AISF), organised a march towards the Assembly in solidarity with the protesters. The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, however, clarified that it was not part of the march, though it welcomed moral support from any organisation. The issue also resonated inside the Jharkhand Assembly, where BJP legislators disrupted proceedings, demanding a court-monitored CBI probe into the alleged recruitment irregularities and forcing the House to be adjourned for the day.