king game BPSC Row: Protests Over Exam Leak Continue As Students Demand Cancellation; Bihar Ministers Weigh In

AISA activists stop a train during 'Chakka Jam' protest over BPSC 70th exam, in Arrah, Bihar, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. Photo: PTI AISA activists stop a train during 'Chakka Jam' protest over BPSC 70th exam, in Arrah, Bihar, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. Photo: PTI

The ongoing protest over allegations of a question paper leak in the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Combined Competitive Examination took a political turnking game, as union ministers, state officials, and protest leaders traded statements while the deadlock remained unresolved.

Union Minister Nityanand Rai told reporters on Tuesday that the discussion on the issue will be done on January 2. “Will talk about every issue on January 2,” he said as he attended an event in Patna.

VIDEO | BPSC exam protest: “Will talk about every issue on January 2,” says Union Minister Nityanand Rai as he attends an event in Patna.A delegation of students yesterday met with the Bihar Chief Secretary Amritlal Meena to discuss the matter. (Full video available on PTI… pic.twitter.com/3dsqlXAW6b

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 31, 2024

With over five lakh candidates having appeared for the December 13 exam, many students continue to demand the cancellation of the entire examination.

Meanwhile, a delegation of students met with Bihar's Chief Secretary Amritlal Meena on Sunday to voice their concerns about the alleged paper leak. Students have maintained that the examination was compromised and that the entire process should be annulled.

Bihar Minister Nitish Mishra urged protesters to remain patient, saying, “The delegation has met (chief secretary) and now people should wait for the government's decision…”

VIDEO | Patna: "When the review has been done at the level of the chief secretary, then people should wait," says Bihar minister Nitish Mishra (@mishranitish) on BPSC row.(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7)#Patna #BPSC pic.twitter.com/GDo4tXljFr

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 31, 2024

However, despite these official meetings, the stalemate continued on Monday. Chief Secretary Amritlal Meena, after engaging with the student representatives, did not offer an immediate resolution. Governor Rajendra Arlekar also intervened, summoning BPSC Chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai to discuss the allegations. 

While the specifics of that meeting remain unclear, a senior official,  as per PTI, revealed that the commission's stance remains firm — 'canceling the entire examination is not an option.'

Prashant Kishor, the founder of the Jan Suraaj movement, also weighed in, urging protesters to give the Nitish Kumar government a 48-hour window to resolve the issue. Kishor, whose party colleague R K Mishra, a retired IPS officer, was part of the delegation that met with Meena, said the protestors should wait until January 1 for a concrete solution. 

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He added, “If nothing positive comes by then, the students are entitled to resume their protests, and we will extend our full support.”

State Education Minister Sunil Kumar also addressed the media, stating that the BPSC was a “competent authority” and was “assessing the situation.” He added that any decision would be made at the “appropriate time,” with the department awaiting the Governor’s input.

Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, an independent MP, met with the Governor on Monday. He confirmed that Governor Arlekar had spoken directly to BPSC authorities, expressing the desire to be briefed on the matter in order to intervene appropriately.

The controversy erupted after numerous candidates alleged that the question paper for the December 13 exam had been leaked, prompting widespread protests. In response, the BPSC rejected the allegations, labeling them as part of a "conspiracy" to discredit the exam process. However, to quell the unrest, the commission ordered a re-examination for over 10,000 candidates who were assigned to a single exam centre in Patna, Bapu Pariksha Parisar, where the exam was disrupted.

India had also emerged victors in the Olympics bronze play-off three years ago in Tokyo. Goalie PR Sreejesh was the hero then in a pulsating 5-4 win over Germany, whom the Indians narrowly lost to in the Paris 2024 semi-finals.

A section of the protesters, however, remains dissatisfied with the BPSC's solution, arguing that the re-exam should not be limited to just one centre. They have called for a fresh exam for all candidates, across the 912 centres where the test was conducted.

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The protests have garnered significant political supportking game, particularly from opposition parties. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and its ally, the CPI(ML) Liberation's student wing AISA, staged statewide protests on Monday, blocking roads and attempting to stop trains in districts like Bhojpur and Patna. Opposition leaders have criticized the state government’s handling of the crisis, calling it a failure to address the concerns of Bihar's youth.