BPSC Protest: Students' Call For Bihar Bandh, Know What's Open And What's Closed

The dispute surrounding the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam has intensified, with students demanding the cancellation of the December 13 exam. The commission has refused this demand, leading to heightened tensions. On Sunday, police in Patna used water cannons and mild force against protesting students. In response, students have called for a statewide bandh and road blockade in Bihar on Monday, receiving support from political parties.

Support from CPI-ML

The Communist Party of India – Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML) has backed the December 30 road blockade initiated by students and youth. MLA Sandeep Saurabh has urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to reconsider the exam's validity. He insists on cancelling the entire exam due to alleged irregularities and malpractices. CPI-ML State Secretary Kunal criticised the government's harsh stance on student protests, demanding immediate cancellation of the Preliminary Test (PT).

Impact of Bihar Shutdown

There is no official word yet on what will remain open or closed during Bihar's shutdown. However, public transport like rail and bus services might face disruptions as protestors could target key transportation hubs. Emergency services such as hospitals and ambulances will continue operating. The government hasn't ordered banks or government offices to close, so they are expected to stay open on Monday.

Reasons Behind Student Protests

Students have been protesting for over a week, seeking annulment of the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), 2024 conducted by BPSC amid allegations of a question paper leak. Protesters have been staging sit-ins at Gardani Bagh for several days. They argue that cancelling only one centre's exam would violate fairness principles.

Details of 70th BPSC Prelims

The 70th BPSC Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination took place on December 13 to recruit candidates for Group A and B posts. Approximately five lakh candidates participated across 925 centres. The BPSC clarified that no 'normalisation process' would be applied in this exam, which is a point of contention among protesting students.