Jharkhand Proposes Cancelling 3 Exams After Talks With Students: Sources

New Delhi: The Jharkhand government is likely to cancel three exams following talks with students today amid their protest over alleged exam irregularities, people with direct knowledge of the matter said. The protest entered its 16th day on Sunday.These three exams are: Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) 2023 and 2025, and 14th preliminary, sources said.Today's meeting came after talks between the government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren and student groups for the last two days could not agree to a solution. Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto has been on an indefinite hunger strike, raising concerns over his health. Another student on fast, Rahul Krantim, is under medical supervision. In total, six protesters are on a hunger strike.During the meeting today, the state government expressed willingness to get financial transactions checked by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the exam irregularities case, sources said.They said all exams conducted by the Lucknow-based private testing agency TSR Data Processing Pvt Ltd (TDPL) will be scrutinised. The state government will approach IIM and XISS and take help from them to carry out reforms in the JPSC and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).The state government has held many rounds of talks in the last few days with different student groups, including the Congress's student wing NSUI, Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha (JCM) and Adivasi Chhatra Sangh (ACS)."Today, as this administration gains strength, there are many who simply cannot come to terms with it. They resort to hiding their faces, changing their guises, or operating from behind the scenes to spread misinformation and mislead others. The solution to every issue lies in dialogue, not in the use of batons or bullets," Soren told reporters today."Batons and bullets are meant for the borders, for dealing with enemies, with those who are adversaries of the nation. Resorting to force against our own people, within our own home, solves nothing... Your (youth) sentiments and your concerns are our concerns. Occupying this constitutional office today, I assure you completely that justice will be served with transparency, and we will ensure that this justice is visibly demonstrated," Soren said, alluding to the recent student protest in Delhi's Jantar Mantar where police action took place.Nineteen people have so far been arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in JPSC exams, while former panel chairperson L Khiangte has been questioned four times since July 28.