RANCHI, Aug. 8 -- On the 14th day of protest, a delegation of students met and held talks with a "group of ministers" of the state government at the State Guest House in Ranchi late on Friday. The first round concluded in a "positive atmosphere" with the government promising to consider students' demands, those aware of the development said. The agitation over recruitment examination irregularities, however, continues. Upon leaving the venue after the meeting, the state minister for tourism, arts, culture, sports and youth affairs Sudivya Kumar Sonu stated that they are considering the students' demands. "We listened to the demands of the students and assured them we would consider their demands sympathetically," the minister said. Rajesh Kumar, one of the delegation members from the protesters' side, echoed the minister. He, however, said that the agitation will continue until the demand for cancellation of the JPSC civil service and JSSC-CGL examinations besides a CBI probe into the irregularities is fulfilled. "We apprised the group of ministers about the lacunae in the JPSC and JSSC CGL exam. We also provided them with the basis of our claims. The ministers agreed to our claims and assured us to take it up with the chief minister Hemant Soren. This was the first round of talks. We will continue with our protest, including the Vidhan Sabha gherao on August 10 until all of our demands - cancellation of the JPSC and JSSC-CGL examination and a CBI probe into the irregularities - are met," Kumar said. A four-member team of Jharkhand state ministers participated in the crucial talks with a 10-member delegation of protesting students. The high-level government panel included rural development mMinister Dipika Pandey Singh, higher and technical education minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu, tribal welfare minister Chamra Linda, and labour and employment minister Sanjay Yadav. The student delegation comprised Ravindra Paswan, Piyush Kumar, Rajesh Prasad, Neetu Kujur, Ankit Raj, Kartik Soren, Shalu Kumari, Ravindra Kumar Ravi, Anand Kumar, and Ankit Kumar. The dialogue, which commenced around 7:20pm, faced initial friction over the inclusion of external members. The students had originally finalised an 11-member panel on Wednesday. However, they were forced to drop the names of two journalists and an advocate after the state government took strong exception to their presence. Clarifying the government's stance at the Jharkhand Assembly earlier in the afternoon, minister Sudivya Kumar said that including journalists and legal professionals in a student delegation was highly inappropriate and that the government would not allow that. He also slammed the opposition parties, especially BJP, for "manipulating" the studnet protest from behind the scene. "The government has clearly said that we are ready to talk to the students. But the opposition is playing politics from behind the curtain. What is the former AG Ajeet Kumar (who was AG during former BJP CM Raguvar Das' tenure) doing in that panel (11-member delegation finalised by the students on Wednesday)? It would have been better for opposition leader Babulal Marandi to include himself in that panel instead of the former AG. We reiterate that the government is ready for talks with students and to address their grievances," Sudivya Kumar told reporters at the Jharkhand assembly, clarifying the state government's stance on the stalemate and possible talks with the students. Minister Dipika Pandey Singh said the panel has apprised Chief Minister Hemant Soren of the students' demands. "The CM is concerned about students and an outcome will come soon," she said. Meanwhile, another group of protesters led by Devendra Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for the past six days, claimed that it had received an invitation from the government for talks. The Mahto-led group said it had submitted the names of an 8-member delegation to the government for discussions....