Allegations of a question paper leak marred the Bihar Public Service Commission’s (BPSC) 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) on Friday.
The rumours led to unrest at an examination centre in Kumhrar, Patna, where hundreds of candidates boycotted the preliminary test.
The BPSC, however, firmly denied any breach of examination protocol and termed the incident "conspiracy."
BPSC Chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai emphasised that the exams were conducted in a fair and transparent manner at 911 of the 912 designated centres across the state.
"The BPSC CCE 70th preliminary examination was held in a single shift from noon to 2 pm. The examination was conducted smoothly in most centres.
However, at one centre in Patna, some candidates forcibly snatched question papers from invigilators and stormed out, claiming a leak," Manubhai said.
Manubhai further asserted, “Snatching question papers and exhibiting them to outsiders is tantamount to looting public property. We suspect a conspiracy, as candidates inside the centre could not have been aware of such rumours without access to mobile phones, which were strictly prohibited.”
The Commission is reviewing CCTV footage to identify those involved, and police action will follow, he added.
Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh visited the Bapu Examination Centre in Kumhrar amid the turmoil.
Singh disclosed that discrepancies in the distribution of question booklets caused delays, further inflaming the situation.
“Each examination hall was set to accommodate 272 students, yet only 192 question papers were delivered in a particular set. This led to a delay in distribution, prompting some aspirants to accuse authorities of misconduct. These individuals snatched question booklets and alleged a paper leak,” Singh stated.
Approximately 300-400 students boycotted the exam, citing the alleged leak. However, Singh clarified that candidates in other halls completed their examinations without disruptions.
Videos aired by local news channels showed Singh slapping an unruly bystander and directing police to round up troublemakers.
“An FIR is being registered against those who attempted to disrupt law and order. A detailed report will be submitted to the BPSC for further action,” Singh affirmed.
Meanwhile, the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar Police has launched an investigation into the allegations.
Deputy Inspector General Manavjit Singh Dhillon confirmed, “We are closely monitoring the situation and ascertaining details of the incident.”
The unrest comes amid ongoing grievances from aspirants regarding the examination process. Last week, students staged a dharna in Patna, protesting alleged rule changes and demanding a postponement of the exam—a claim the BPSC refuted.
The preliminary examination aims to recruit candidates for Group A and Group B posts in the state.
Follow us
