Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 6: The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) held a re-examination for its 70th Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) prelims on January 4, with 5,943 candidates appearing for the exam. This was a significant contrast to the 12,012 candidates who had been issued admit cards for the original examination. The low attendance has raised concerns, particularly in light of the ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged paper leak that led to the cancellation of the initial exam.
The BPSC issued a press release after the successful conduct of the re-examination, noting that only a little over 5,000 candidates showed up, despite the large number of hall tickets being distributed. In comparison, 8,111 candidates downloaded the revised admit cards following the paper leak incident at the Bapu Examination Complex on January 13, when the controversy first broke out.
Prashant Kishor's hunger strike and protests
In the wake of the exam’s cancellation and the subsequent re-examination, Prashant Kishor, the founder of Jan Suraaj, launched a fast-unto-death protest demanding the cancellation of the BPSC examination. Kishor, who has been vocal about the issue, was arrested by police on early Monday during his protest at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan.
The protest, which has garnered significant support, has been ongoing for over two weeks, with several students participating and calling for the cancellation of the prelims examination due to the alleged irregularities surrounding the paper leak.
UPPSC PCS exam shows low attendance
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) conducted its PCS examination on December 22, with a total of 5,76,154 candidates applying. However, only 2,41,212 candidates, about 42%, appeared for the examination, highlighting a similar trend of low attendance in competitive exams across the region.
The controversy surrounding the BPSC exam continues to stir public debate and unrest, with students and political figures calling for greater transparency and accountability from the examination authorities.