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Ranchi, Aug 9 (PTI): The sixth round of talks between the Jharkhand government and students protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in the state failed to reach any breakthrough on Sunday, with both sides accusing each other of not being serious about resolving the matter.

While the government panel said it was unfortunate that the students did not lift the agitation despite the authorities conceding to “98 per cent of their demands”, the other side insisted that the claim was not true, and stuck to their demand for a CBI probe into the alleged anomalies.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar urged the students to shun the path of agitation, while the protesters said they will go on with their call for a Jharkhand Assembly march on August 10.

The government panel also talked to Devendra Nath Mahto, one of the individuals who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the past eight days and whose condition deteriorated early on Sunday, and urged him to end the fast.

The government said elaborate security arrangements have been made and that no student will be harassed during the protest.

Meanwhile, most of the schools will remain closed on Monday while a prohibitory order has been promulgated in the 750-metre vicinity of the assembly between 6 am and 10 pm.

BJP leader Amar Bauri alleged that the party's state unit president Aditya Sahu has been "put under house arrest".

The agitating students rejected the state government’s claim that it had accepted 98 per cent of their demands, asserting that only "three of the 13 examinations they wanted to be cancelled had been scrapped". They announced that their proposed march to the assembly on Monday would go ahead.

The students, who have been agitating for 16 days and have six protesters on indefinite hunger strike, remained firm on their demand for a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, particularly the JSSC-CGL exam.

Student leader Ravindra Paswan accused the government of spreading a “false narrative” about the outcome of negotiations and appealed to students across Jharkhand to participate in the August 10 'Vidhan Sabha March'.

“We will not compromise till our demand for a CBI probe is fulfilled,” Paswan said after the sixth round of talks with a government panel.

The protesters have also sought cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination, publication of investigation findings and action against those found guilty.

They are demanding an independent probe either by the CBI or by a panel of retired high court judges from outside Jharkhand.

The student leaders said Monday’s protest would remain peaceful and democratic and appealed to political parties and the public to extend moral support without giving the agitation a political colour.

They also cautioned against attempts by anti-social elements to disrupt the demonstration.

The government, however, maintained that it had accepted 98 per cent of the students’ demands and urged them to withdraw the agitation and return to dialogue.

“It is unfortunate that students are not ready to withdraw the agitation, though we agreed to most of their demands. There is no intention to save any culprit involved in exam irregularities,” Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar, a member of the government panel, said.

The government has agreed to the cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination, proposed an ED probe into alleged financial irregularities in the JPSC examination and announced a fast-track court that would file charge sheets within 90 days in cases relating to examination "irregularities".

It has also proposed an expert panel comprising representatives from IIT-ISM Dhanbad, IIM Ranchi and XLRI Jamshedpur to recommend examination reforms, besides a committee headed by a retired high court judge to examine the JSSC-CGL issue.

The state has launched a portal seeking students’ suggestions on examination reforms and said it would formulate a standard operating procedure to ensure transparency in future recruitment examinations.

The government, however, said it could not accept the demand for a CBI probe into the JSSC-CGL examination, stating that the examination was conducted under the monitoring of the high court and the Supreme Court.

The deadlock continued despite appeals from Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar for dialogue.

Soren said those responsible for examination "irregularities" would face strict action and assured protesting youths that justice would be delivered with transparency.

He also cautioned against politicising the agitation and urged students not to be misled by political interests.

Gangwar also urged the students to resolve the issue through dialogue, saying the government’s doors remained open and that the authorities did not want to compromise the future of students.

The agitation was further intensified by developments within the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), with all three of its members resigning on Sunday amid allegations of irregularities in recruitment examinations.

The governor accepted the resignations of Ajeeta Bhattacharya, wife of JMM leader Supriyo Bhattacharyya, Anima Hansda and Jamal Ahmad, according to a statement issued by the Lok Bhavan.

The resignations came after the Jharkhand CID summoned all three members for questioning in connection with allegations, including paper leaks.

Bhattacharya is scheduled to be questioned on August 10, Ahmad on August 12 and Hansda on August 14. JPSC chairman L Khiangte had resigned on July 22.

Officials said 19 people have so far been arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in JPSC examinations, while Khiangte has been questioned four times since July 28.

The latest round of negotiations followed several meetings between the government and different student groups, including the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, NSUI, Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha and Adivasi Chhatra Sangh.

With the students refusing to withdraw their CBI probe demand and the government maintaining its position against CBI inquiry, the August 10 assembly march assumes significance. PTI NAM/SAN/RPS NSD SOM NN BDC

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)