Jharkhand Exam Row: Fresh Talks Amid Deteriorating Hunger Striker's Health!
Jharkhand Exam Row: Fresh Talks Amid Deteriorating Hunger Striker's Health!
Student protests in Jharkhand escalate! Government initiates new talks over exam irregularities as a hunger-striking student leader's health worsens. Get the full story on this critical deadlock.
The Jharkhand government has initiated a fresh round of talks with student aspirants today, August 9, 2026, marking the 16th day of protests against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. This move comes after previous discussions on August 7th and 8th failed to resolve the deadlock. However, a prominent student faction, the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, has criticized the government's latest effort as "political manoeuvring".
Adding urgency to the situation, the health of student leader Devendra Nath Mahto has significantly deteriorated. Mahto has been on an indefinite hunger strike for about a week at Ranchi's Jaipal Singh Stadium. Doctors reported his blood glucose level dropped to 53 early this morning, raising serious concerns.
The Hemant Soren government previously held discussions with the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch on Friday night, August 7, 2026. This was followed by four rounds of talks throughout Saturday, August 8, 2026, with various other student groups, including the Congress's student wing NSUI, Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha (JCM), and Adivasi Chhatra Sangh (ACS).
Despite these efforts, the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch swiftly condemned the government's announcement of further talks. Ravindra Paswan, a leader from the Manch, accused the government of attempting to create divisions among protesting students and divert attention from their core demands. He claimed that the government was trying to weaken the agitation by engaging with groups that had not been actively involved in the ongoing protest. "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," Mr. Paswan asserted at a press conference. Meanwhile, members of the ABVP were also detained after scuffling with police near the Jharkhand CM's residence during a protest march.
