Over 1000 BPSC candidates protested against potential normalization in the examination, police initiated the lathi charge.
Patna December 6, 2024: The protests by BPSC candidates of the 70th Combined Preliminary Examination outside the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) office in Patna on Bailey Road turned chaotic on Friday, resulting in a lathi charge by the police.
The BPSC candidates were protesting against the rumoured normalization process, which they believe could impact the fairness of the upcoming examination scheduled for December 13.
The controversy surrounding the BPSC 70th Civil Services Prelims Exam has escalated, with thousands of candidates taking to the streets of Patna to protest against the potential normalization of the exam.
Supported by student leaders, the candidates argue that normalization is unnecessary, particularly since the exam is being conducted in a single shift using a single-question paper set.
BPSC Candidates’ Demands:
The aspirants insist that the exam pattern should remain unchanged, as it has been in previous years.
They argue normalization, typically used to address variations in multi-shift exams, is redundant in this single-shift exam and should not be applied.
Commission’s Standpoint to the BPSC Candidates:
Satya Prakash Sharma, Secretary of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), dismissed the protests as unwarranted.
He clarified that normalization is not being implemented, emphasizing that it would have been explicitly mentioned in the notification or through an official notice if planned.
“If normalization were to be applied, the commission would have mentioned it explicitly in the notification or issued a separate notice,” Sharma said.
Sharma criticized the protests, suggesting that serious candidates focus on preparation rather than agitation.
Sharma dismissed the protests as baseless, stating. Why should the commission clarify regarding the misleading talks about normalization? Those protesting are not serious candidates but individuals who do not focus on their studies.”
He emphasized that only 1% of candidates typically pass, and those genuinely preparing for the exam are not involved in such demonstrations.
Exam Details:
The preliminary examination for the 70th combined BPSC examination is scheduled on December 13, the prelims will be conducted in a single shift across 925 centres in Bihar, with 4,80 lakh candidates expected to appear. Admit cards are set to be released today on the BPSC’s official website.
Political support for the BPSC candidates:
Tejashwi Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Leader of the Opposition in Bihar has expressed solidarity with the BPSC candidates.
In a letter to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Yadav criticized the lack of clarity regarding the exam pattern and supported the BPSC candidates’ demand for transparency.
The uncertainty over the potential application of normalization has left candidates anxious. Critics argue that the lack of a clear communication strategy from BPSC has fuelled confusion and protests.
The situation reflects a broader issue of transparency and trust in competitive exams, with candidates urging authorities to prioritize clear and timely communication to avoid such disputes in the future.
Also Read: Tejashwi Yadav raised concerns about the 70th combined BPSC examination.
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