3 min readRanchiAug 4, 2026 05:33 PM IST
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday said his government was treating the concerns of protesting job aspirants with “complete seriousness” and that a decision on their demands would be taken “at the appropriate time”.
The remarks came as job aspirants, who have been on an indefinite sit-in at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium since July 29, intensified their agitation by demanding that alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and other recruitment examinations be investigated by an independent panel of retired High Court judges from outside the state.
“With scrutiny and complete seriousness, decisions addressing their demands and queries will be announced at the appropriate time. I am confident that the protesters will be reassured,” Soren told reporters.
He said investigating agencies were examining all aspects of the alleged irregularities.
“The way the investigation team is active, wherever any kind of mistakes have happened or are happening, all those things are being thoroughly examined. Once everything comes out, the government’s decisions will also certainly come forward,” he said.
The protesters have alleged that the JMM-led government is attempting to “whitewash” the issue by assigning the probe to the state CID. They have sought a CBI investigation, along with an Enforcement Directorate probe, alleging large-scale financial irregularities linked to the recruitment process.
Meanwhile, former chief minister Raghubar Das urged Soren to hold direct talks with the agitating students and consider their demand for a CBI inquiry.
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Addressing a press conference in Jamshedpur, Das said he had written to the chief minister, appealing for dialogue with the protesters and appropriate action. He said he was writing not as a former chief minister or with any political motive, but as someone whose political journey began during the JP movement of 1974.
“The students have not taken to the streets without reason. They are protesting against serious allegations of corruption and irregularities in recruitment examinations. The government should talk to them directly and ensure justice, including considering their demand for a CBI inquiry,” Das said.
He also alleged that the protesters were not being provided basic facilities such as tents, drinking water and healthcare despite their peaceful agitation, and warned that the movement could grow into a larger public protest if their grievances remained unaddressed.
Drawing a comparison with the NEET paper leak case, Das said the Centre had swiftly ordered a CBI probe and conducted a re-examination, and questioned why a similar approach was not being adopted in Jharkhand.
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The state CID has so far arrested 11 people in connection with the alleged irregularities in JPSC examinations. The JPSC had postponed the Combined Civil Services Mains Examination, originally scheduled for July 25-27, citing “unavoidable circumstances” amid mounting protests.
The CID has also questioned former JPSC chairman L Khiangte four times since July 28 and conducted raids at 18 locations across Ranchi, Palamu, Hazaribagh, Bokaro and Dhanbad as part of its investigation.
(With PTI inputs)