Agencies | Patna:
Tensions escalated in Patna on Tuesday as students protesting against the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination broke through police barricades and clashed with security personnel while attempting to march from Gandhi Maidan towards Raj Bhavan.
The protesters are demanding cancellation of the examination amid allegations of irregularities and a paper leak. Police had barricaded the route to prevent demonstrators from entering the restricted area.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Kamakhya Narayan Singh said police would stop the protesters if they attempted to move beyond the restricted zone. At the same time, he said discussions between student representatives and senior officials had been constructive and expressed hope that the matter could be resolved through dialogue.
The agitation has expanded beyond the demand for cancellation of the 70th BPSC examination, with protesters raising concerns over several government recruitment examinations.
Congress leader Sushil Kumar said students were demanding changes in the Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE) 4.0, including conducting it as a single-stage examination and removing negative marking.
“We want to state clearly that a single-stage examination must be implemented for TRE 4.0 at all costs, and negative marking should be abolished,” Kumar said.
He also referred to issues concerning recruitment examinations conducted by the BPSC, Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) and Sub-Inspector recruitment authorities.
According to Kumar, students had not received satisfactory assurances from the government and wanted Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary to invite a delegation for formal talks.
He also claimed that some protesters had been on hunger strike for nine days, alleging that the government had failed to adequately address their concerns.
Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav has also intervened in the controversy, urging the state government to engage directly with protesting students and find an immediate solution.
In a letter to Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, Yadav called for TRE 4.0 to be conducted as a single examination and sought greater transparency across competitive recruitment examinations.
He also raised concerns over alleged discrimination against Hindi-speaking candidates in the BPSC Civil Services Main Examination and interview process.
Yadav demanded transparency in examinations conducted for Sub-Inspector, Constable, BSSC and BPSC recruitment and called for an independent, high-level inquiry into alleged irregularities in previous examinations.
He further sought strict action against individuals involved in alleged recruitment-related malpractice and urged the government to announce time-bound schedules for pending examinations, including BSSC Intermediate, CGL, ASO, BSO, Librarian and Accountant examinations.
Amid the escalating protests, the Bihar government announced a new mechanism aimed at addressing student grievances.
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced the launch of the ‘Student Support Camp’, under which camps will be organised on the fourth Tuesday of every month at educational institutions.
The initiative is intended to provide students with a direct platform to raise complaints, suggestions and other concerns before government officials.
Students will also be able to submit grievances through the Student Support Portal and Helpline 1100, with provisions to track the status of their complaints.
“Every student’s voice heard, every problem resolved—this is the resolve, this is the effort,” Choudhary said.
The confrontation in Patna highlights growing tensions between student groups and the state authorities over the conduct of competitive examinations and recruitment processes.
While the government has indicated that it is willing to engage with students and has introduced a dedicated grievance-redressal mechanism, protesters and opposition parties are seeking more concrete assurances, including independent investigations and changes to examination procedures.
With the BPSC examination controversy continuing to fuel protests, the government’s response to allegations of irregularities and its willingness to engage directly with student representatives are likely to remain central to efforts to restore confidence in Bihar’s competitive recruitment system.
