Bihar: Retest held for select PSC candidates amid calls for stiffer protests

Patna, Jan 4 (PTI) The retest for a select group of candidates who had appeared in the recent Bihar PSC exam, which has been embroiled in allegations of question paper leak, was held on Saturday afternoon at 22 centres here, officials said.

Altogether, 12,000 candidates were scheduled to sit for the re-examination that started at 12 pm and continued till 2 pm, they said.

“The re-exam took place at 22 centres in Patna. Out of a total 12,012 candidates, around 8,111 aspirants had downloaded their admit cards. However, 5,943 students appeared for the retest on Saturday. It was held peacefully at all centres without report of any misconduct and malpractice,” the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) said in a statement in the evening.

The 70th Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) held on December 13 has been in the eye of a storm over allegations of leak of question papers, which has been denied by the BPSC, though a fresh test was ordered for 12,000 candidates, who had appeared for the exam at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre here.

Talking to PTI, Patna District Magistrate (DM) Chandrashekhar Singh said, “The retest was peacefully held at all the centres, where adequate arrangements were put in place. The district administration had issued strict guidelines. Unauthorised entry, gatherings and protests within a 200-metre radius of the centres were prohibited”.

The clamour for cancellation of the Combined Competitive Examination held on December 13 by the BPSC has gained strength, as agitating aspirants found support from various political parties, Independent MP Pappu Yadav and Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor.

Yadav had on Friday led his supporters in blocking rail and road traffic in several areas of Patna as well as other parts of the state.

Several MLAs and leaders of the Congress, CPI-ML (Liberation), CPI(M) and CPI also lent support to the protesting candidates, who have been demanding that fresh exams be held for all the five lakh candidates, who had appeared at more than 900 centres across the state, to ensure a "level-playing field".

Kishor continued with his fast-unto-death that he began on Thursday to press for the demand for cancellation of the December 13 exam.

“I know that the re-exam of the Bapu Pariksha Parishar centre, where around 15,000 students had appeared, is taking place in Patna today even after our repeated requests for cancellation of the entire exam. What will happen to 3.5 lakh aspirants who have been demanding a retest? I am sure that the protests will intensify further after today’s exam,” the former political strategist said.

“The government will listen to us. The administration (officials) came to us on Friday and requested us to discontinue our strike. Everybody knows about the rampant corruption in the recruitment process in the state. Corrupt officers and the mafia are charging Rs 30 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore for different posts in the state and in the BPSC,” Kishor claimed.

The Jan Suraaj Party chief said it could also explore legal options against BPSC’s decision to go ahead with the retest on Saturday.

“It appears that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has launched a new scheme in the state called… ‘Rupaya Lao, Naukri Pao’ (bring money, get job)... We may go to court against BPSC’s decision of conducting today’s exam,” Kishor added.

The district administration had earlier termed Kishor's fast-unto-death at Gandhi Maidan "illegal" as it is not the designated site for holding such protests.

“We are keeping a close watch on the developments ... We will decide our further course of action after completion of today’s exam,” the DM said. PTI