Students protesting alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment exams in Jharkhand entered their 13th day and formed an 11-member committee to negotiate with the government. They demanded a CBI probe, cancellation of the 14th JPSC Preliminary Exam and structural reforms. The CID has arrested five more people, taking total arrests in the case to 19.

Ranchi: Even as students protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) entered its 13th day on Thursday, they have formed an 11-member committee to hold discussions with the Jharkhand government to end the deadlock.

Of the 11 members, eight are student representatives, two are journalists, and former advocate general Ajit Kumar as a legal expert. JPSC-JSSC Reform Forum core committee members -Ravindra Paswan and Piyush – demanded a CBI probe to ensure an impartial investigation, cancellation and re-conducting of the 14th JPSC Preliminary Examination, a fair investigation into all examinations conducted by the TDPL agency, permanently stopping incidents involving OMR sheets and paper leaks, and carrying out wide-ranging administrative and structural reforms in JPSC and JSSC. Students have also demanded strict action against those found responsible.

Earlier, the Jharkhand government also formed a five-member committee to hold talks with protesting students to end the deadlock.

Meanwhile, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Jharkhand has arrested five persons in connection with the alleged irregularities surrounding the JPSC exams. With these arrests, the number of people apprehended has swelled to 19.