Ranchi: The ongoing student protest over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in Jharkhand has entered a new phase, with the agitating students expressing their willingness to hold talks with the state government. However, they have placed two key conditions before agreeing to formal discussions. The protesters have demanded that the meeting be held directly with Chief Minister Hemant Soren and that at least two media representatives remain present throughout the interaction to ensure complete transparency.

The agitation, which has continued for nearly two weeks, is centred around alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) recruitment process and other competitive examinations. Hundreds of students have been staging a sit-in at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, demanding an independent investigation into the recruitment controversy and action against those responsible.

Student leader Ravindra Paswan said government officials approached the protesters with a proposal for dialogue. According to him, the administration has sought the names of student representatives so that a meeting can be scheduled. Once the list is finalised, the government is expected to communicate the date and venue for the talks.

Despite agreeing in principle to negotiations, the students have accused the government of attempting to weaken the movement by inviting only a limited delegation. Protest leaders argued that restricting the meeting to a small group of representatives could dilute the concerns of the larger student community and therefore insisted that the entire process remain open and transparent.

The protest at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium entered its 13th day, with several students continuing an indefinite hunger strike. Among them, student leader Devendra Nath Mahato and five others remain on fast, demanding a fair investigation into the alleged examination irregularities. The protesters have reiterated their demand that the matter be investigated by agencies such as the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Meanwhile, the investigation into the recruitment examination case has continued to gather pace. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested five more accused late on Wednesday, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 19. Officials are continuing their probe into the alleged paper leak and examination-related irregularities.

Health concerns have also emerged during the ongoing agitation. Devendra Nath Mahato's condition reportedly deteriorated after several days of fasting, with doctors observing a drop in his blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Medical personnel attending the protest administered intravenous fluids after monitoring his condition.

On Wednesday, Mahato also interacted with social activist Sonam Wangchuk through a video call. During the conversation, Wangchuk appealed to the fasting students to take care of their health while continuing their democratic protest. Following the appeal, Mahato agreed to drink water but maintained that his indefinite hunger strike would continue until the students' demands were addressed.

The controversy began after the Jharkhand Public Service Commission declared the results of the 14th Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination on July 2. A total of 2,204 candidates qualified for the Main Examination, which was scheduled to be conducted between July 18 and July 20.

Soon after the results were announced, several candidates alleged irregularities in the selection process. Among the issues raised were the non-publication of the official cut-off marks and the circulation of a purported OMR sheet on social media. The viral document allegedly showed that a candidate who had attempted only a limited number of questions had still qualified for the Main Examination.

Questions were also raised over the absence of signatures from authorised commission officials on the published result documents. As the controversy intensified and demands for greater transparency grew, the JPSC eventually cancelled the scheduled Main Examination.

In response to the escalating protests, Chief Minister Hemant Soren has already constituted a four-member ministerial committee to engage with the agitating students. The panel includes Higher Education Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu, Rural Development Minister Deepika Pandey Singh, Welfare Minister Chamara Linda, and Industries Minister Sanjay Prasad Yadav.

The Chief Minister also held a meeting with the ministers to discuss the situation and explore possible solutions before extending an invitation for dialogue to the student representatives. Although initial discussions did not result in a breakthrough, both sides now appear willing to continue efforts toward a negotiated resolution.

With the protest gathering wider public attention and the investigation continuing, the coming days are expected to be crucial as the government and student representatives prepare for direct talks.