Patna, Bihar - December 29, 2024 - The streets of Patna witnessed significant unrest today as Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) aspirants clashed with police forces during a protest against the normalization of the 70th BPSC Preliminary Examination. The demonstration, which has been ongoing for several days, escalated into violence when police used lathi-charge and water cannons to disperse the crowd gathered at Gandhi Maidan.
The protesters, primarily aspirants of the civil services examination, have been demanding a re-examination, arguing that the normalization process adopted by BPSC for the 70th Prelims was unfair. The normalization was meant to adjust scores due to variations in the difficulty level of different sets of question papers. However, this has led to widespread discontent among candidates who believe the method has skewed results unfairly.
Educator and YouTuber Khan Sir, who has been a vocal supporter of the aspirants, was present at the scene, calling for a re-examination while emphasizing that the candidates are ready for any level of difficulty. "We are only demanding a re-examination from the commission. The commission can conduct as difficult an examination as it wants. We are not running away from this," he stated amidst the chaos.
The situation escalated when some protesters attempted to breach barricades set up by the police, leading to the use of force to control the crowd. Reports from the scene indicate that several aspirants were injured, with some requiring medical attention. The police, on their part, justified their actions, highlighting the need to maintain public order and prevent the protest from turning into a larger law-and-order situation.
The Bihar Police issued a statement explaining that they had initially tried to negotiate with the protesters but were forced to act when the crowd became uncontrollable. "We used mild lathi-charge and water cannons as the last resort to disperse the crowd," a senior police officer commented, emphasizing their commitment to public safety.
This incident has reignited debates on the transparency and fairness of examination processes in India, particularly in the context of state-level competitive exams. Social media platforms have been abuzz with posts supporting the aspirants, calling for systemic changes to ensure equity in the examination process.
The BPSC has yet to comment officially on the re-examination demand but has acknowledged the need for reviewing the normalization process to address future concerns. Meanwhile, political figures from various parties have weighed in, with some criticizing the government's handling of the situation and others calling for calm and dialogue to resolve the issue.
As the dust settles in Patna, the conversation around the rights of examination candidates and the responsibilities of examination bodies continues to grow, with many hoping this incident will lead to reforms in how such exams are conducted and evaluated.