JLKM leader Devendra Mahto to launch phase 2 stir for corruption-free job exams

Key points

• "The government has decided to cancel the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) exam.
• The second round of the stir will be launched under the banner of JPSC-JSSC Abhiyarthi Reform Manch, headed by Mahto.
• Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday said an exam reforms committee headed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal would recommend…
• He said the demonstration will continue until the "government guarantees no paper leak or irregularities in recruitment examinations in future".

JLKM leader Devendra Mahto. This person called off his 16-day hunger strike following the Jharkhand government’s cancellation of job exams over alleged irregularities, stated on Tuesday that he would soon commence the second phase of his campaign demanding corruption-free recruitment by the JPSC and JSSC.

He said the demonstration will continue until the “government guarantees no paper leak or irregularities in recruitment examinations in future”.

“I have ended my hunger strike, not the protest. The agitation will continue till the government gives a guarantee that no paper leak or irregularities will take place in recruitment examinations. We will soon launch the second phase of our protest, demanding corruption-free recruitment in JPSC and JSSC examinations,” Mahto stated, addressing media persons.

What happened

Mahto, who had been on the fast for 16 days, called off the hunger strike around Monday midnight after the state government cancelled all recruitment tests, including the JSSC-CGL exam, conducted by an outsourced agency since 2014.

“We demand from the government that a monitoring committee be formed for reforms. We also sought a complete audit, not just a financial audit; there should be an audit at every step,” Mahto stated.

He also called on the government to “enact a law if necessary to prevent practices like paper leaks and irregularities in the recruitment examinations”.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday said an exam reforms committee headed by senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal would recommend measures to strengthen the process of recruitment tests.

The details

“The government has decided to cancel the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission-Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) exam. It was one of the major demands of the protesting students. We have also decided to cancel all tests conducted by outsourced agency TSR Data Processing Pvt Ltd (TDPL) and the results published by it,” Soren had stated to journalists.

(With inputs from PTI)