NEW DELHI: Indian students marched towards the state assembly in Jharkhand on Monday (Aug 10), escalating protests over alleged irregularities in government recruitment examinations, with several students also on hunger strike.
Protests in Ranchi, capital of the eastern state home to more than 33 million people, began on Jul 29, days after a youth-led “cockroach” movement in New Delhi forced the resignation of the national education minister.
At least six protesters are on hunger strike, including student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, 33, who has been fasting for more than a week.
“We want the whole system to change,” Mahto said, as quoted by Indian media, demanding an end to the use of a private company that conducts tests for state civil service.
On Monday, hundreds of police guarded the assembly behind barbed-wire barricades, after repeated talks between the protesters and the state government failed to reach an agreement.
Large crowds of students chanting slogans marched towards the state assembly.
The protesters are demanding the cancellation of several examinations conducted by a private company on behalf of the state government, as well as an investigation by federal police into their conduct.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has sought to defuse the protests by accepting some demands, while several members of the civil service body overseeing the examinations have stepped down.
“Every problem can be resolved through dialogue,” Soren said in a speech on Sunday.
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