BPSC Prelims Exam 2024: Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Chairman, Parmar Ravi Manubhai, on Friday refuted claims of a paper leak during the preliminary Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 held at Bapu Pariksha Bhavan in Patna. The exam, which took place across 912 centres in the state, saw over 4 lakh candidates participating, and while reports from most areas were calm, Patna witnessed significant unrest at one examination centre.
Candidates at the Bapu Pariksha Bhavan alleged irregularities and malpractice during the exam, with several claiming they did not receive the question papers on time. Amid the chaos, a video surfaced showing Patna's District Magistrate (DM), Dr Chandrashekhar Singh, slapping a protesting candidate outside the centre, which quickly went viral on social media. In the video, the DM is seen striking the student while telling the crowd to disperse.
The incident has sparked widespread debate on social media, with many questioning the use of force in handling the situation.
One online comment reacting to the incident posted by news agency PTI stated, "No one has the right to slap anybody, but a king is always a king, he has unlimited power. Nowadays, people have become arrogant after gaining power."
VIDEO | Patna DM Dr Chandrashekhar Singh slaps a #BPSC aspirant protesting outside an examination centre in the city.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 13, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/dDE0l8BX8t
Addressing the concerns raised by candidates, the BPSC chairman said that there had been no paper leak. He confirmed that the protest began only after the students were seated in the examination hall and were not in contact with the outside world. "We received information around 12.30pm about some students creating a disturbance in the exam, but by then, all students had already entered the exam hall and had no access to any external information," he told the media.
Mr Manubhai added that some candidates at the Patna centre had raised concerns about changes in the question pattern, but these were addressed, and no further complaints were received until after the first hour of the exam. "The examination was monitored using high-tech methods, and there is no truth to the allegations of a paper leak," he asserted.
Dr Chandrashekhar Singh, the DM of Patna, explained that the disruption at the Bapu Pariksha Bhavan was caused by a delay in distributing the question papers. Candidates at the centre, located in Kumhrar, received their papers 15 minutes late but were not granted additional time to compensate for the delay. The issue was reportedly due to a failure in the management of the centre. Despite efforts to calm the candidates, when the protests continued, police and administrative officials had to step in to restore order.
"During the Bihar Public Service Commission examination at Bapu Examination Center, Kumhrar, some candidates accused irregularities and boycotted the examination, creating a commotion outside the examination hall. Upon receiving the information, the District Magistrate of Patna and the Senior Superintendent of Police of Patna reached the centre," the Patna DM said.
"Outside the centre, some individuals had blocked the road with a trolley, causing significant disruption. In the midst of this chaos, an additional centre superintendent, Mr Ram Iqbal Singh, suffered a heart attack. Immediate efforts were made to rush him to the hospital, but unfortunately, he passed away upon arrival. A female candidate also fainted and was sent to the hospital in ambulance, where her condition later improved," he said.
"In this tense situation, light force was used to clear the roadblock, remove people from the street, and restore traffic flow. There was no intention to hurt or slap any candidate. The district administration is always committed to ensuring the convenience and welfare of candidates. However, strict action will be taken against those identified as deliberately spreading rumours to disrupt the system," the DM added.
