Thousands of job aspirants protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in Jharkhand marched towards the state assembly on Monday, as the agitation entered its 17th day amid heightened security and a continuing deadlock between the protesters and the government.The demonstrators gathered outside the old assembly complex in Dhurwa and began marching towards the new Vidhan Sabha building, raising slogans and carrying the tricolour and placards. The march coincides with Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s 51st birthday.— PTI_News (@PTI_News) The protesters are demanding reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), cancellation of several recruitment examinations and an independent probe into alleged irregularities.Mahto joins Assembly march after 9-day hunger strike Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto joined the protesting JPSC-JSSC aspirants’ ‘Vidhan Sabha Gherao’ march in Ranchi on Monday, despite having been on a hunger strike at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, the main protest site, for the past nine days.Mahto, who has been leading the agitation over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, joined the march as thousands of job aspirants headed towards the Jharkhand Assembly.— ANI (@ANI) He has been on a fast for nine days over the recruitment examination issue and joined Monday’s march despite his deteriorating physical condition.According to the protesters, he has lost 10.5 kg during the hunger strike.The protest has now entered its third week, with demonstrators continuing to press for an independent probe and wider reforms in the state’s recruitment examination system.The latest: Thousands march to Jharkhand AssemblyJLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for nine days over the issue, joined the march in an ambulance. He has reportedly lost 10.5 kg during the fast.Mahto was seen carrying a portrait of former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren as he joined the protesters.The march began from the old assembly complex, with a large number of student protesters gathering before moving towards the new assembly building.— ANI (@ANI) Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders along the route and deployed heavy security over the nearly 4-km stretch. More than 1,500 personnel from the Rapid Action Force, Indian Reserve Battalion, district police and Quick Response Teams have been deployed, officials said.Most schools in Ranchi have also been closed amid the protest and security arrangements.Why are Jharkhand job aspirants protesting?The agitation is centred on alleged irregularities in various recruitment examinations conducted by the JPSC and JSSC.Also Read: Jharkhand govt to recommend ED probe, set up fast-track courtThe protesters are demanding comprehensive reforms in both recruitment bodies and cancellation of several examinations, including the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination.— ANI (@ANI) They are also seeking an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities, either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a panel of retired high court judges from outside Jharkhand.“We will not compromise till our demand for a CBI probe is fulfilled,” JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader Ravindra Paswan said.Government says 98% demands accepted, protesters disagreeThe protest has continued despite several rounds of talks between the state government and the demonstrators.Following the latest round of deliberations, the government said it had accepted 98 per cent of the protesters’ demands.The protesters, however, said the government had agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations they want scrapped.The disagreement over the remaining demands has kept the deadlock in place as the agitation entered its 17th day.LoP Babulal Marandi, BJP leaders detained amid exam row protestLeader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly Babulal Marandi and several BJP leaders were detained by state police during a protest outside Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s residence over alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC examinations.Also Read: LoP Babulal Marandi, BJP leaders detained amid protests outside CM's residenceMarandi said students were continuing their protest while alleging that the government was trying to divert attention from their demands. He called for a CBI probe into the JPSC, JSSC and CGL examinations.The BJP protest followed a party meeting in Ranchi and coincided with the ‘Vidhan Sabha Gherao’ march by the JPSC-JSSC Reform Morcha at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium.Earlier, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo had warned the JMM-led government against using force against student protesters amid heightened security arrangements for the march. He urged Hemant Soren to accept the students’ demands, including cancellation of examinations conducted by outsourcing agency TDPL and a CBI probe into alleged irregularities.Shah Deo also alleged that BJP MP Aditya Sahu had been placed under house arrest. He criticised the heavy security deployment and warned that any police action against protesters would draw a strong response from BJP workers.The protesting aspirants have maintained that their key demands, including cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities and reforms in the recruitment process, have not been fully accepted by the state government.(With inputs from ANI, PTI)