Bihar Paper Leak 2024 Protests: 'We Deserve Fair Exams, Stop Crushing Our Dreams'

When you come from one of India's poorest states, where the private sector offers limited opportunities for employment and a stable livelihood, you're left with only two choices – to either migrate out of the state or strive for a government job.I chose the latter – to study diligently and secure a government job, so that I could stay close to my family and support them. However, even this dream feels stolen, not merely because I have to compete with lakhs of other aspirants, but because the exam itself is repeatedly marred by controversies, one after another.No prizes for guessing – that has been the story of Bihar and its exam-conducting body, the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).On 13 December, after I appeared for the Preliminary Test of the 70th BPSC Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) in Saharsa, news of an alleged paper leak emerged from the Bapu Sabhagar Centre in Patna.While the commission initially denied the allegations, it later decided to conduct a re-examination only for the students who appeared at the said centre on 4 January, citing 'rumours of paper leak' at the venue. "Keeping in mind the interests of the students, the commission has decided to conduct a re-exam as soon as possible," read notification dated 19 December 2024. My question to the commission is: why order a re-examination for just one centre when we all know that, in this digital age, if a question paper is leaked from one centre, it can instantly spread to any of the 911 centres across Bihar with just one click?'Indore Coaching Institute Charged My Son Rs 60,000 for Just 3 Days of Classes'And how are you dealing with the demands of the students? With a slap, lathi charge, and water cannons?On the day of the exam, a student demanding a re-test was seen getting slapped at a Patna centre by District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh – an incident caught on camera.On 29 December, while we were peacefully sitting on a dharna at Patna's Gandhi Maidan over the issue, police brutality peaked as they unleashed lathis and water cannons on us during a cold winter evening.First, you fail to conduct the examination properly, and then you resort to beating students who raise concerns. Is this fair?UGC-NET Qualified: 'Government Jobs Elude Us, Private Colleges Exploit Us'This isn't the first time the BPSC has failed to conduct an examination smoothly.A similar incident occurred during the 66th BPSC CCE at a centre in Aurangabad on 27 December 2020. Acknowledging the discrepancy, the commission conducted a re-examination on 14 February 2021.On 9 May 2022, the 67th BPSC CCE was cancelled after the question paper was leaked just minutes before the exam and circulated widely on WhatsApp and Telegram groups.The BPSC Teacher Recruitment Exam (TRE-3) held on 15 March 2024 was also cancelled due to yet another paper leak, prompting a re-examination between 19 July and 22 July 2024.'We've Been Abandoned... Byju’s Bankruptcy Has Left Teachers Like Me Jobless'I can go on and on with the list of exams which the BPSC failed to conduct properly. Is this what the students of Bihar deserve?Many of us come from families that struggle to afford even the cost of appearing for these exams. Most of the time, the centres allocated to us are outside our home districts, requiring us to travel by train or bus a day in advance, as well as arrange accommodation.Many a times, a student can't afford a hotel room and is forced to spend the night sleeping at a railway station or a bus stand.I graduated in 2021 with a BSc in Mathematics (Hons) from Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga. With no campus placements, I was left with only two options: either hunt for jobs in bigger cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, etc, or prepare for government exams.For the last 3-4 years, I have been preparing for various government job exams but haven’t been able to get through. The vacancies are limited, while the number of applicants runs into lakhs for each exam.This Article Has Been RemovedAgainst this background, when we have to endure repeated failures of the commission to conduct smooth and fair examinations, we feel nothing short of cheated.What do we do? Where do we go? Even when limited opportunities arise for us to secure a livelihood, the exam-conducting bodies repeatedly fail to conduct examinations without discrepancies.The BPSC must understand that, as students, we face immense pressure of livelihood, career, and multiple family responsibilities. It should give us an opportunity to reappear in the examination that is free from discrepancies, giving us a fair chance to compete on equal footing.UGC-NET Retest Cancelled: 'NTA's Glitches and Repeated Exams Ruining Our Future'On 29 December 2024, the City Superintendent of Police of Patna Police, while speaking to the media, said:"We requested the students protesting to vacate the place, but they didn't listen. We also said that they can put forward their demands, and we are ready to listen to them. They also pushed us after which we used water cannons on them."Sweety Sahrawat, City SP, Patna Police(The Quint has reached out to Patna Police regarding its actions against the students. Their response is awaited, and the story will be updated once a response is received.)(The Quint has also reached out to the BPSC regarding the issues raised by the students. The story will be updated when they respond.)(All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)

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Bihar Students Protest: 'Want Fair Exams, BPSC Should Stop Crushing Our Dreams'

'The vacancies are limited, while the number of applicants runs into lakhs for each exam,' laments a BPSC aspirant.

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Topics: Student Protest Sarkari Naukri BPSC