Jharkhand enters 7th round of talks with job protesters on day 24

The Jharkhand government and job aspirants protesting alleged recruitment exam irregularities are set for a seventh round of talks on Monday, as the agitation entered its 24th day. Six protesters remain on hunger strike. The Hemant Soren government issued the invite after a meeting between students and district officials at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium on Sunday.

JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan said protesters would attend but remained firm on two demands: a CBI probe into irregularities and cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination. On Sunday, protesters burnt effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. The New Indian Express reported they have threatened to gherao Soren's residence on August 20.

Opposition leader Babulal Marandi backed the students' call for a CBI probe, asking why the government feared it. The Congress said its state unit would discuss the matter on August 18. The government has proposed transparency measures including a time-bound exam calendar and technology-secured tests, but previous six rounds of talks failed to produce a breakthrough.