Indian police use water cannons to disperse Bihar exam protesters

Indian police used water cannons and detained several protesters in Bihar on Tuesday as students demonstrated against alleged

PATNA: Indian police used water cannons and detained several protesters in Bihar on Tuesday as students demonstrated against alleged irregularities in a civil services recruitment examination.

The protesters were demanding cancellation of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination over allegations that question papers had been leaked and that other irregularities had affected the recruitment process.

The protesters attempted to march towards the governor’s residence in the state capital, Patna. Police blocked their route and used water cannons after demonstrators pushed through barricades.

Several protesters were also taken into police custody and transported away from the demonstration site.

The BPSC examination is one of Bihar’s most competitive recruitment tests. It is conducted to select officials for various positions in the state administration.

The latest demonstrations are linked to an examination held in December 2024. More than 300,000 candidates reportedly competed for around 2,000 positions. The recruitment process was completed in June after multiple stages, including examinations and interviews.

Authorities have previously rejected claims of a widespread question paper leak. However, a re-examination was ordered at one examination centre following complaints at the time.

Police later said the protest had become peaceful. Senior police officer K.S. Anupam said most of the protesters’ demands had been addressed by the government.

Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari also said the government had responded to the students’ concerns. He maintained that discussions with the protesters remained possible and that the government’s doors were open for further dialogue.

The dispute comes amid growing student protests in India over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.

Similar demonstrations have taken place in other Indian states, with concerns ranging from alleged paper leaks to recruitment procedures and examination management.

In neighbouring Jharkhand, protests over similar allegations previously resulted in the cancellation of civil service examinations.

The latest unrest has also added to pressure on authorities to strengthen safeguards around competitive examinations, which attract hundreds of thousands of applicants seeking government jobs.