Prashant Kishor Arrested During Hunger Strike Over BPSC Exam Scandal: Key Details

The Bihar Police arrested Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor while he was continuing his indefinite hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, on January 6, 2025.

Kishor, who had been fasting since Thursday, was protesting against the Bihar Public Service Commission's (BPSC) 70th Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) held on December 13, 2024. His demand was for the cancellation of the exam amid allegations of a question paper leak.

Photo Credit: PTI

The protests have grown in intensity after the BPSC announced a re-examination for candidates, an action Kishor sees as an acknowledgment of errors made during the original test. Despite the re-examination, Kishor and many students believe the entire process was flawed and continue to demand the cancellation of the exam altogether.

Kishor's Support for Students

Prashant Kishor's hunger strike has attracted significant attention as he firmly believes that the state government must address the issue swiftly for the welfare of students. He has called on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to meet with students and take action. Kishor's appeal for political backing also included requests to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, urging them to rally behind the cause and lead a larger movement.

Kishor's supporters claim that his efforts are part of a larger fight against a regime that has, according to them, resorted to aggressive measures such as lathi charges against protestors. These demonstrations highlight not just the BPSC issue but a broader concern about the state of governance in Bihar.

The BPSC Controversy

The BPSC's 70th Combined Competitive Examination, which took place on December 13, has been marred by allegations of a question paper leak. Although the BPSC has denied the allegations, protests erupted as students sought answers. The protests gained further traction when the commission ordered a fresh exam for the 12,000 candidates who had taken the test at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar center in Patna. However, only 5,943 candidates showed up for the retest, signaling ongoing dissatisfaction among students.

The controversy has triggered widespread demands for a more transparent and fair examination process, with students insisting on the cancellation of the contested exam.

Legal Action and Kishor's Arrest

Kishor's protest was deemed "illegal" by the local authorities, and an FIR was filed against him and his 150 supporters for holding the sit-in near a restricted site. Early on January 6, Kishor was arrested by the police along with his supporters, and the group was removed from the protest site. Kishor was subsequently taken to Patna AIIMS for a medical examination due to concerns about his health after several days of fasting.

Kishor's arrest has further fueled the ongoing protests and raised questions about the state's response to the concerns of its youth.

Future of the Protest and the BPSC Exam

As Kishor's hunger strike continues to grab headlines, the BPSC controversy remains unresolved, with students and political leaders rallying behind the demand for a fair and transparent examination system. The fate of the 70th CCE and the larger question of how Bihar handles such protests will likely unfold in the coming days as the protests continue to intensify.