Bihar BPSC Exam Row: Students Protest, Demand Re-exam Amidst Police Action and Political Support

BPSC Row: Student protests against the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) continue. The Marxist Leninist Liberation Front (MLF) has now joined the students, demanding a re-examination.

Anger among Bihar students against the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) continues unabated. Protests are ongoing, demanding the exam be cancelled on 13 December. The commission has outright rejected the demand. Police in Patna used water cannons and mild force against protesting students, further fueling their anger. A Bihar bandh (shutdown) and road blockade have been announced today, with support from political parties.

No official announcement regarding the extent of the Bihar bandh has been made by students or political parties. However, if the shutdown proceeds as planned, public transport services, including railways, could be affected. Protesters may disrupt bus and railway services on a large scale.

Services that will remain operational

Emergency services such as hospitals and ambulances will remain operational during the Bihar bandh. There are no government orders yet regarding the closure of banks and government offices; therefore, they are expected to remain open on Wednesday.

MLA extends support

The road blockade organised by students and youth has received support from the CPI(ML). MLA Sandeep Saurabh has written to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar demanding a re-examination. He stated that the entire exam should be cancelled and re-conducted due to irregularities and malpractice. CPI(ML) state secretary Kunal condemned the government's repressive and inflexible attitude towards the ongoing BPSC aspirants' movement, urging the government to seriously consider their demands and immediately cancel the preliminary examination.

Targeting Prashant Kishor

Tejashwi Yadav has expressed support for the students and indirectly criticised Prashant Kishor, leader of the Jan Suraj Party. Yadav alleged that some individuals are attempting to hijack the movement, stating, "Some people were claiming to be at the forefront, but when the beating started, they ran away."