Seeking 100 per cent reservation for locals in government jobs, members of different students’ organisations took to the streets of Jharkhand on Wednesday morning to enforce a state-wide shutdown.

Members of the Jharkhand State Students’ Union (JSSU) protested in Ranchi’s Morabadi area, burning tyres on the road. They also went to the nearby vegetable market asking vendors to shut their shops.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the other districts as well, but normal life largely remained unaffected in the morning hours.

Many schools remained closed across the state, while the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) cancelled the scheduled examinations.

In the state capital, around 2,500 security personnel have been deployed in view of the shutdown call, officials said.

The student organisations have been protesting since Monday as part of their 72-hour agitation programme, demanding 100 per cent reservation for locals in government jobs.

On Tuesday evening, the protestors took out a torchlight march in Ranchi. They had attempted to gherao Chief Minister Hemanta Soren’s residence on Monday but were stopped by the police.

JSSU leader Devendra Mahto said, “This government had promised 100 per cent reservation in government jobs for locals but has opened the door for students from outside the state, forcing us to call the bandh.”

Instead of implementing the 1932 ‘khatiyan’ (land settlement) based recruitment scheme, it brought back an old employment policy under which 60 per cent of the seats will be reserved for underprivileged students, while 40 per cent will be open to all, he said.

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