Bihar: Lathi-charge on protestors in Patna as BPSC aspirants demand fair exam format
The aspirants are calling for a return to the traditional "one shift, one paper" format, where the entire exam would be conducted in a single shift, ensuring that all candidates face the same conditions.
FollowA large group of Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) aspirants gathered in Patna, voicing their opposition to proposed changes in the format for the upcoming 70th BPSC Preliminary Examination. The students are demanding that the exam be conducted in a "one shift, one paper" format, instead of the newly introduced "normalization of marks" process, which adjusts scores across different exam shifts based on statistical formulas. The protest escalated as police used lathicharge to disperse the crowd, who had gathered near the BPSC office.
The protest began around noon on Friday when students gathered on Bailey Road, expressing dissatisfaction with the proposed changes to the exam structure. They argued that the normalization process would put some candidates at a disadvantage, especially those taking the exam under more challenging conditions.
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The aspirants are calling for a return to the traditional "one shift, one paper" format, where the entire exam would be conducted in a single shift, ensuring that all candidates face the same conditions.
The 70th BPSC Preliminary Examination is set for December 13, and the changes have raised concerns among students. The aspirants feel that the normalization process could lead to unfair adjustments to their scores based on external factors such as shift timings and other uncontrollable circumstances.
As the protest grew in size, protesters attempted to march towards the BPSC office. However, they were stopped by police and administrative officials. When they refused to leave and sat on the road, blocking traffic, police resorted to a mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajeev Mishra clarified that the protesters were blocking a restricted area and had been asked multiple times to vacate before the police used force.
Although eyewitnesses claimed that several protesters were injured during the lathi-charge, Mishra denied these reports, assuring that only mild force was used, and no injuries had been sustained. He added that an FIR had been registered and CCTV footage was being reviewed for further action.
The protest gained significant attention when Faizal Khan, widely known as Khan Sir, a prominent educator and YouTuber, joined the demonstration. Khan Sir, who has a strong following among civil services aspirants, expressed his concerns about the normalization process and called for the BPSC president to assure protesters that the process would be removed.
The 70th BPSC Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination is scheduled for December 13 and will recruit candidates for Group A and B posts in the state government. With around five lakh candidates expected to appear, the exam will be conducted across 925 centers.
The controversy surrounding the exam's format has been a hot topic in Bihar, with political figures such as RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also calling for the BPSC to revert to the previous format.
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