Police lathi-charge BPSC aspirants demanding a 're-exam' in Patna on Sunday.
The protest by Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) aspirants demanding a re-test of the 70th Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) escalated today in Patna, prompting the police to resort to lathi charges and use water cannons. Earlier in the day, thousands of students gathered at Gandhi Maidan before marching towards JP Golambar, intending to proceed to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence. The police had not approved the move. The BPSC aspirants were also demanding a meeting with chief minister to discuss the issue. The All India Students' Association (AISA) called for a 'chakka jam' on Monday in protest against the use of force by the police on students.
Water Cannons, Lathi Charge On Students Demanding Bihar Public Service Re-Examination@prabhakarjourno reports#BPSCExamProtest pic.twitter.com/LLg72cmku1
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Prashant Kishor, founder of Jan Suraj, joined the protest and expressed his full support for the students. He participated in their march to JP Golambar, where he announced that a five-member student delegation would meet the Chief Secretary to present their demands. Kishor stated that if no concrete decision was reached, the students would resume protesting the following day. However, the students rejected the proposal for a meeting with the Chief Secretary and refused to leave the protest site, prompting the police to use force to disperse the crowd. Kishor returned to Gandhi Maidan while the students remained at the site. Earlier, he had called for a "Chhatra Sansad" at Gandhi Maidan on Saturday, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti, to discuss the students' issues and strategise future actions. However, the city administration denied permission for the event.
The ongoing protests, which have continued for over the last 10 days, stem from allegations of a paper leak at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar exam center. While the BPSC has announced a re-test at that centre, it has maintained that the irregularities were isolated and do not warrant the cancellation of the entire exam.
On Friday, BPSC Examination Controller Rajesh Kumar Singh reiterated the commission's stance, stating that the 70th CCE exam would not be canceled under any circumstances. He confirmed that the main examination would proceed as scheduled in April and advised candidates to focus on their preparations instead of protesting. Mr Singh emphasised that the exam was conducted with transparency, pointing out that only a small section of candidates were protesting, with no substantial evidence to support their claims.
Despite Mr Singh's assertions, the protests continue to grow, with students adamant about their demand for a complete cancellation of the exam.
Earlier in the week, police in Patna resorted to lathi charge when student protesters attempted to enter the BPSC office premises. While the BPSC has acknowledged the irregularities at the Patna centre, it asserts that the exam was successfully conducted at over 900 other centres across the state without any issues.
