17 August,2026 04:04 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Rahul Gandhi. File pic
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has urged Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to personally meet representatives of protesting students and take appropriate steps to resolve their concerns over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
In a letter to Soren dated August 14, Gandhi said the students' protest had remained peaceful and described their demands as legitimate. He also said young people were India's future and called for support for them during the ongoing dispute.
The Congress is part of the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led government in the state.
Gandhi said the right to peaceful protest was an important part of India's democratic system and that his party supported students who had been protesting against alleged paper leaks and irregularities in the education system.
"We have, therefore, offered our full support to students protesting paper leaks and irregularities in the education system over the last few months," the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said.
He also criticised the broader education system and alleged that political interests had affected its functioning.
"It is also our belief that the Indian education system has been captured by the RSS and BJP and transformed into a tool for the exploitation and oppression of students. It is no longer the robust knowledge system that it used to be a decade ago," Rahul Gandhi said.
Gandhi acknowledged that the Jharkhand government had initiated discussions with the protesting students through a committee constituted by the chief minister.
He said there had been agreement on several of the students' demands but noted that the agitation had continued, with some protesters remaining on indefinite hunger strike.
"I am writing to suggest that you personally meet with representatives of the protesting students. This will help reinforce the government's commitment to resolve their remaining concerns," the former Congress chief said.
"Please do your utmost to hear them out and take appropriate action towards the resolution of this issue," Gandhi said.
The protest is being led by the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, with students demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
The protesters are also seeking cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination.
The students have accused the ruling JMM-Congress alliance of "failing to take tangible action" on their demands. They have alleged that the government was engaging in political calculations over issues affecting job aspirants.
The protesters had on Saturday announced plans to gherao the chief minister's residence on August 20. They also appealed to students from across Jharkhand to gather in Ranchi for the demonstration.
The proposed protest has added pressure on the state government to address concerns surrounding recruitment examinations and the wider selection process.
The Jharkhand government has sought to reassure job aspirants by announcing measures aimed at making recruitment examinations more transparent and secure.
Among the measures announced are a time-bound annual examination calendar, technology-secured examinations, timely publication of answer keys and OMR sheets, and multi-level accountability in the recruitment process.
The government has also launched a campaign to collect suggestions from students, teachers, educationists and parents on possible reforms to the examination system.
The students' agitation comes amid wider concerns over the conduct of competitive and recruitment examinations, including allegations of paper leaks, irregularities and delays.
For candidates preparing for government jobs, disruptions in examination schedules and disputes over the validity of recruitment tests can result in significant delays in the selection process.
The government has indicated that the proposed reforms are intended to strengthen the recruitment system and improve transparency. However, protesters continue to press for action on their specific demands, including a CBI investigation and cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination.
(With inputs from PTI)
