Candidates of the BPSC 70th Combined Entrance Exam (CEE) have filed a petition in the Supreme Court demanding the cancellation of the examination, citing irregularities. The petitioners claim procedural lapses and unfair practices impacted the exam’s fairness. Amid ongoing protests, students have called for immediate redressal of their grievances. The Supreme Court has assured the matter will be heard by an appropriate bench on Tuesday, January 7.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court now involved in the controversy surrounding the 70th preliminary examination of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).
A petition has been filed demanding the cancellation of the exam, claiming it was corrupted and should be held again.
Additionally, the petition calls for action against the Superintendent of Police (SP) and District Magistrate (DM) for using force against protesting students. The Supreme Court Registry has confirmed that the petition will be listed for hearing before the appropriate bench on Tuesday, January 7.
Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraj Party, has been on a fast unto death for four days, advocating for the cancellation of the examination. He has also reached out to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for support in backing the students’ demands.
On Thursday, Pappu Yadav announced a state-wide blockade of national highways, state highways, and rail services. The Chhatra Yuva Shakti organization initiated this blockade in solidarity with BPSC candidates, and Yadav encouraged all student organizations to join the protests. Protesters gathered at the Sachiwalay Railway Station, briefly sitting on the tracks, which caused delays in train operations.
Chief Public Relations Officer of East Central Railway, Saraswati Chandra reported,
“Protesters stopped the Buxar-Fatuha passenger train at Sachiwalay Halt Station around 9 am on Friday, resulting in a 20-minute delay before the train continued on its journey,”
So far, the commission has only cancelled the BPSC 70th Integrated Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination (CCE) conducted at the Bapu Examination Complex, which has been rescheduled to January 4, 2025, across approximately 22 examination centers in Patna.
In December 2024, students in Bihar protested over the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exams. They claimed that the 70th Combined Competitive Examination, held on December 13, was unfair because the question paper was leaked. The students demanded the exam be canceled and conducted again to ensure fairness.
On December 29, the protests intensified when students marched towards the Chief Minister’s residence in Patna. Police used water cannons and batons to stop them, leaving several students injured. This harsh action was criticized by many, including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, who called it “inhuman,” especially in the cold weather.
Prashant Kishor, a political strategist and founder of Jan Suraaj, joined the protests at Gandhi Maidan to show support. The police later filed a case against him and 20 others for holding the gathering without permission. Kishor responded by announcing an indefinite strike from January 2, 2025, demanding action against the officials responsible for the police violence and asking for the exam to be canceled.
The BPSC said the exam would not be canceled entirely but only retaken at centers where irregularities occurred. This decision has upset the students further, as they continue to demand a full re-examination to ensure the selection process is fair.