NEW DELHI: The Jharkhand government will hold another round of talks with protesting recruitment exam aspirants on Sunday, as the 16-day agitation continued and the health of student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for nearly a week, deteriorated.The decision to hold a sixth round of talks came after discussions between the government and several student groups over Friday and Saturday failed to break the deadlock.Mahto’s condition suddenly worsened around 3 am on Sunday at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Stadium, where students have been protesting since July 25. Doctors recorded his blood glucose level at 53.The government panel is scheduled to meet student representatives at noon on Sunday. The move, however, has drawn criticism from the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which has been leading the agitation.Ravindra Paswan, a leader of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, accused the government of trying to divide the protesting students and divert attention from their demands.“This is political manoeuvring by the government. It is trying to create a divide among students and divert attention. But they should know that all students are united,” Paswan said at a press conference at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium.Paswan claimed that the Reforms Manch had already presented its demands to the five-member government panel during a detailed meeting on Friday night. He alleged that the government subsequently held separate discussions with other student organisations that had not played a role in the ongoing protest.Govt says talks held in positive atmosphereThe Hemant Soren government held discussions with the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch on Friday night, followed by four rounds of talks with different student groups on Saturday.The groups included the Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha (JCM) and Adivasi Chhatra Sangh (ACS).The government said the discussions were held in a positive atmosphere and that it was examining the concerns raised by the protesting aspirants.The decision to hold another round of talks was taken after the government panel met Chief Minister Hemant Soren for around four hours on Saturday evening.Rural Development Minister Dipika Pandey Singh said the panel briefed the chief minister about the demands raised by different student delegations.“It was decided in the meeting with the chief minister that a final round of talks with the protesting students will take place at 12 pm on Sunday,” she said.Minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav said the government would continue discussions with students demanding comprehensive reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).What are students demanding?The protesting students are seeking reforms in the recruitment examination system and action over alleged irregularities in various JPSC and JSSC examinations.The JCM submitted five demands, including cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination.The NSUI submitted six demands, including a CID investigation into all JPSC and JSSC examinations under suspicion within 90 days. It also demanded the establishment of a Jharkhand Testing Agency on the lines of the National Testing Agency.The ACS demanded that tribal and regional languages be included as qualifying papers in recruitment examinations. It also sought cancellation of examinations in which irregularities were found.Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar said the government had also issued an email ID through which aspirants could submit suggestions on reforms to the recruitment process.Protesters threaten Assembly marchDespite the government’s talks with various student groups, protesters have said the agitation will continue until their demands are met.They have announced a march to the Jharkhand Assembly on August 10 if the government fails to address their demands by Sunday.The agitation has also seen the involvement of several student organisations, including the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).AISA set up a separate platform at the stadium on Saturday, although its leaders said it should not be viewed as a separate agitation.AISA national president Neha Bora, who was attacked with ink during Friday’s Assembly march near Birsa Chowk, briefly joined the protest and raised slogans demanding cancellation of the 14th JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations.AISA’s Ranchi unit chief Vijay Kumar said the organisation shared the same demands as the larger protest and that its members would join the August 10 march without carrying the AISA banner.The ABVP has also held protests over the issue. Its members scuffled with police on Friday while attempting to cross barricades near the chief minister’s residence.Around eight to 10 ABVP protesters were detained during the march but were later released, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Ajay Aryan said.
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The ABVP has announced a separate march to the Assembly on August 11.19 arrested over alleged exam irregularitiesThe agitation comes amid an investigation into alleged irregularities in JPSC examinations.Nineteen people have so far been arrested in connection with the case, while former JPSC panel chairperson L Khiangte has been questioned four times since July 28.With the student leader’s health deteriorating and protesters threatening another Assembly march, Sunday’s talks could prove crucial in determining whether the 16-day agitation can be brought to an end or enters another phase of confrontation.
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