Why are student organizations in Jharkhand protesting
The Ranchi district administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) within a 200-meter radius of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's residence and the Secretariat on Monday morning. The action is intended to thwart a proposed gherao of the CM's residence by various student groups protesting the state government's revised recruitment policy for third and fourth-grade jobs.
Why does this story matter?
The protesters called for a statewide bandh last week demanding that the recruitment policy adhere to the Khatiyan-based employment policy of 1932. On March 23, protesters clashed with the police after they were stopped from gheraoing the state legislative Assembly. Under the revised recruitment policy, 60% of seats are reserved for aspirants from the state while the rest are unreserved.
Bandh postponed after education minister's death
The prohibitory orders, which bar rallies, demonstrations, or an assembly of more than five persons, remained in effect from 8:00am to 11:30am. The use of loudspeakers was prohibited along with firearms and traditional weapons. Notably, the bandh which was called from April 9 was postponed until Wednesday in view of state education minister Jagarnath Mahto's demise.
Protest against implementation of pre-2016 recruitment policy
The protesters organized under the banner of the Jharkhand State Students' Union after the state cabinet on March 3 amended various rules of the Jharkhand State Selection Commission (JSSC) exams. This came after the Jharkhand government conducted a survey among the 7.34 lakh job aspirants in the state, soliciting support for implementing the recruitment policy which existed before 2016.
73% job aspirants favored pre-2016 policy in government survey
The government said that of the 7.34 lakh students, 73% favored urgent resumption of the recruitment policy from before 2016. Around 16% of respondents said that the recruitment process should be started after introducing a new policy while 11% remained undecided.
Government wanted to implement 1932 Khatiyan-based recruitment policy
CM Soren's office said the government wanted constitutional immunity under Schedule IX to implement the recruitment policy based on the 1932 Khatiyan (land records) and give 27% reservation to the Other Backward Classes (OBC). However, the state governor returned the bill and in 2020, the Jharkhand High Court scrapped the 2016 recruitment policy, following which the survey using chatbot-based calling services was conducted.
High court canceled appointment of 17,525 teachers
In 2016, the Bharatiya Janata Party government under former CM Raghubar Das proposed 100% reservation for local candidates in the state's 13 Scheduled Districts. The policy was declared unconstitutional by the high court, and the appointments of 17,525 school teachers were scrapped. A new recruitment policy is being drafted and is likely to be approved on Thursday.
