Police baton charge on protesting students near Bihar CM residence
Tensions rise as police detain several students during the march.
Students protesting against the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination broke police barricades on Tuesday while marching from Patna's Gandhi Maidan towards Raj Bhavan. The protesters were demanding the cancellation of the examination. The students attempted to gherao the Bihar Chief Minister's residence by breaking through police barricades, after which the police used water cannons to disperse them.
According to news agency ANI, despite repeated attempts by the police to stop them, the protesters continued to try to advance into the restricted area. Amid rising tensions, the police detained several students during the march. The police warned the protesters that they would not be allowed to proceed further. DSP Kamakhya Narayan Singh stated that discussions with senior officials were positive, and he hoped the students would end their march. A bunker vehicle was deployed at the Dak Bungalow intersection, which is also known as a mine-protected vehicle, typically used in Naxal-affected areas.
The protesting students are demanding the cancellation of the 70th BPSC examination, alleging irregularities and paper leaks. They are also seeking changes in the proposed Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE) 4.0, including conducting the exam in a single phase and abolishing negative marking.
Congress leader Sushil Kumar, present at the protest site, said,
Students are also raising issues related to BPSC, Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC), and sub-inspector recruitment. We clearly state that a single-phase exam must be implemented in TRE 4.0, and negative marking should be abolished.” He appealed to Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary to meet with a delegation of the protesters. He mentioned that the students have been on a hunger strike for nine days.
The protesters are also opposing the proposal to conduct TRE-4 in two phases and are demanding the issuance of an official recruitment notification.
Protester Vikas Bhatt stated that students are demanding reforms in Bihar's education and recruitment system and action against repeated exam paper leaks.
Bhatt said,
Our demand is for reforms in Bihar's education system. We are raising the issue of repeated exam paper leaks in the state. Take the librarian recruitment, for instance; it hasn't happened for 18 years.
He also criticized the delays in recruitment exams conducted by the Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC). He mentioned that three recruitment processes have been announced, but their exams are still pending after three years.
He said,
We have repeatedly protested outside the BSSC office, demanding the announcement of exam dates. But every time, we are told to wait another 15 days.” He also questioned the lack of a regular exam calendar for recruitment commissions in Bihar.
Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, wrote a letter to Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, urging the government to engage in dialogue with the protesting students and address their demands. Yadav demanded that TRE-4 be conducted in a single phase. He also called for an end to the alleged discrimination against Hindi-speaking candidates in the BPSC Civil Services main exam and interview. He demanded greater transparency in competitive exams, including BPSC, BSSC, sub-inspector, and constable recruitment. Additionally, he called for an independent investigation into alleged irregularities in past exams and strict action against the recruitment mafia.
Amid the ongoing student protests, the Bihar government announced on Tuesday the launch of a monthly 'Vidyarthi Sahayog Shivir' to address students' grievances. This information was provided by news agency PTI.
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary stated in a social media post,
The Bihar government is starting Vidyarthi Sahayog Shivir from today to ensure prompt resolution of students' grievances. These camps will be held on the fourth Tuesday of every month in educational institutions.”
He mentioned that in these camps, students will be able to directly present their grievances to the concerned government officials. Samrat Choudhary also informed that students can register complaints online and track the status of their complaints through a dedicated portal and helpline 1100.
The news is being updated.