RANCHI: A protester who has been fasting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment exams has been admitted to an ICU after going six days without food, but he has refused to end his hunger strike, news agency PTI reported.Rahul Kranti (40), a native of Jharkhand’s Palamu district, is among six protesters fasting against alleged irregularities in the state’s recruitment process. He claims to have cleared several government recruitment exams but has still not secured a job.Kranti said he cleared the JSSC-Graduate Trained Teacher examination in 2016 but was not included in the final panel. He is also waiting for an appointment letter for the 2023 assistant teacher recruitment examination. He alleged that corruption was behind the delays.He has said he will continue his hunger strike until the state government agrees to cancel all state-level recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) since 2019.Kranti also appeared for the 14th JPSC examination this year after the high court granted age relaxation. He said the exam was likely his final opportunity to secure a government job, but allegations of a paper leak and other irregularities have left him disappointed.He began his fast at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium on Tuesday night. As his health worsened, he was taken to hospital on the fourth day.“Doctors say that I am suffering from viral fever. I was shifted here on Friday with high fever and headache. When my condition did not improve, doctors shifted me to the hospital,” Kranti said.He said his condition was stable but that he was feeling weak.“Doctors are saying that my health will not improve until I take food. But I am determined to continue with my fast because the state government is not paying heed to our demands,” Kranti added.Kranti claimed that talks between the government and the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which is leading the protest, on Friday night suggested that the government was willing to consider cancelling the 14th JPSC examination only after the CID submits its investigation report.He alleged that this indicated that the government was not serious about resolving the protesters’ concerns.“Until the government agrees to cancel all state-level recruitment exams conducted by the JPSC and JSSC since 2019 and orders a probe by the CBI and ED, we will continue with this protest. I will remain on hunger strike, whether I am in the hospital or at the protest site.”“The government needs to initiate reforms in its recruitment system. The future of Jharkhand’s youth will not be allowed to be sold,” he said.Dr Nancy Priya, medical officer at Sadar Hospital, said Kranti was experiencing weakness and had not eaten since beginning his fast.“Rahul Kranti ji is complaining of weakness and has not taken any food yet. He has viral fever and throat irritation. He is only taking water on our advice.“We are monitoring his blood pressure and sugar levels. He urgently needs to eat, and we are trying to persuade him. However, the decision ultimately rests with him.”Kranti is currently being given a multivitamin infusion, the doctor said.Meanwhile, another round of discussions between the Jharkhand government and students protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations began on Sunday.The government had held talks with the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch on Friday night. On Saturday, it conducted four rounds of discussions with different student groups, including the Congress’ student wing NSUI, Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha (JCM) and Adivasi Chhatra Sangh (ACS).The meetings failed to reach a conclusion, prompting the government to schedule a sixth round of talks with student representatives at around noon on Sunday.
