Bihar: BPSC re-examination today amid tight security, ongoing protests

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) is set to conduct the re-examination for candidates who appeared at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre on January 4, following allegations of irregularities during the initial exam. Around 12,000 candidates are expected to take the re-exam at 22 centres across Patna, a move aimed at ensuring fairness after issues surfaced during the December 13 exam, which had originally taken place at a single location.

In response to ongoing protests over the exam’s legitimacy, the Patna District Magistrate, Gaurav Kumar, has imposed Section 163 of the Criminal Procedure Code to maintain law and order around the exam centres. This restriction will be in effect from 8 AM to 5 PM today, particularly affecting 15 centres within the Patna Sadar subdivision, including prominent schools like P.N. Anglo Sanskrit High School and Government Girls High Secondary School in Shastri Nagar.

Earlier, BPSC had conducted the exam for about 12000 candidates at one exam centre, Bapu Pariksha Parisar, and a single magistrate was appointed. However, now these candidates have been divided into 22 centres in Patna. Out of these 22 centres, 15 fall under the Patna Sadar subdivision.

Earlier on Thursday, Patna DM Chandrashekhar Singh and SSP Avkash Kumar issued a joint statement said that the re-exam will be held in a single shift from 12 noon to 2 pm at 22 different exam centres in the city for the aspirants who had taken the exam at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre.

Under Section 163, public gatherings of more than five people are prohibited within a 100-metre radius of the examination centres. Additionally, demonstrations, processions, and the use of loudspeakers without permission are banned. Candidates and their companions will not be allowed to carry mobile phones or smart devices, though police officers and examination staff will be exempt from this restriction.

The re-examination comes as protests against the BPSC exam continue to intensify. On Friday, thousands of students disrupted rail and road traffic in Patna, while Left-leaning student organisations attempted to march to the Chief Minister’s residence. The protests escalated after police used force, injuring several demonstrators. In response, Jan Suraj Party leader Prashant Kishor began an indefinite hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan, demanding action against the police and a cancellation of the exam.

With strict security measures in place, authorities are focused on ensuring that today’s re-exam proceeds peacefully and without disruption, as students and protesters continue to voice their dissatisfaction with the process.

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