BHUBANESWAR: Police in India’s eastern state of Bihar used water cannon and detained dozens of protesters on Tuesday as students attempted to march towards the governor’s residence, demanding the cancellation of a civil services recruitment examination over allegations of question paper leaks and other irregularities.
The demonstration took place in the state capital, Patna, where hundreds of students gathered to voice their concerns about the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination.
The test is a highly competitive state-level examination used to select candidates for positions in Bihar’s state administration.
Protesters Break Through Police Barricades
Footage released by news agency ANI showed hundreds of protesters breaking through police barricades as they attempted to move towards the governor’s residence.
Police responded by using water cannon to push the protesters back from the restricted area. Videos also showed several demonstrators being detained and taken away in police buses.
The protesters were demanding that authorities cancel the examination and conduct a fresh test, citing allegations of leaked question papers and other irregularities.
Senior police officer KS Anupam told Reuters that the demonstration had later become peaceful and claimed that most of the protesters’ demands had been addressed by the government.
“The protest is now peaceful, and most of the demands have been met by the government,” Anupam said.
However, the protesters’ concerns have continued to generate political and public attention, particularly because of the large number of candidates affected by the examination process.
More Than 300,000 Candidates Appeared
The dispute centres on a BPSC examination conducted in December 2024.
According to local media reports, more than 300,000 candidates appeared for approximately 2,000 positions. The recruitment process eventually concluded in June following two rounds of testing and an interview process.
The scale of participation highlights the importance of the examination for young people seeking government employment in Bihar.
The state government has previously rejected allegations of a widespread question paper leak. However, authorities did order a re-examination at one examination centre after concerns were raised at the time.
The protesters have continued to demand broader action, arguing that irregularities should be investigated and that the examination process should be reviewed.
India’s ‘Cockroach’ Protest Movement Keeps Pressure on Modi Government
Government Says Door for Dialogue Remains Open
Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari said the government had addressed the demands raised by students, although he did not provide specific details about the measures taken.
He also said the government’s door for dialogue remained “wide open”.
The government’s position reflects an effort to contain the protests while maintaining that the examination process can proceed under the existing framework.
For the protesters, however, the dispute is part of a wider concern over the credibility and fairness of competitive examinations.
Growing Anger Over Examination Irregularities
India has witnessed a series of demonstrations over allegations of wrongdoing and irregularities in recruitment examinations.
The latest protests in Bihar follow weeks of youth demonstrations led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which reportedly contributed to the resignation of India’s federal education minister in July.
In neighbouring Jharkhand, similar protests over examination-related concerns resulted in the cancellation of civil services examinations.
The developments have increased pressure on authorities to ensure greater transparency in competitive recruitment tests, particularly as millions of young Indians compete for a limited number of government jobs.
More Protests Planned
The CJP has announced plans for a peaceful march in New Delhi next month.
The group says the federal government has failed to fulfil some promises made during earlier protests. Among its demands is the withdrawal of police cases registered against demonstrators.
The continuing protests indicate that examination integrity remains a sensitive issue in India, where government recruitment tests can determine the career prospects of hundreds of thousands of young applicants.
For students in Bihar, the immediate focus remains the disputed civil services examination and demands for greater transparency. While authorities say dialogue remains possible, further developments will depend on whether the government can address the concerns raised by candidates and restore confidence in the recruitment process.
