Patna HC Declines to Nullify BPSC Preliminary Exam or Halt Results
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Synopsis
On January 16, the Patna High Court denied requests to cancel the Bihar Public Service Commission's 70th Preliminary Examination or delay the results. The court will hear further arguments on January 31, 2025, as challenges to the exam's integrity continue.
Key Takeaways
- Patna High Court dismissed cancellation requests for the BPSC exam.
- Future hearings will determine the exam's validity.
- 14 petitions cited irregularities and lack of transparency.
- The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 31, 2025.
- The Bihar government defended the examination process.
Patna, Jan 16 (NationPress) The Patna High Court has denied requests to annul the 70th Preliminary Examination of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) or to postpone the announcement of its results on Thursday.
A total of 14 petitions were filed challenging the examination, alleging irregularities and malpractice. A bench led by Justice Arvind Singh Chandel considered arguments from the petitioners and representatives from the Bihar government and the BPSC.
The judiciary stated: “Upon reviewing the arguments from all involved parties and considering the facts presented, we are unable to grant any form of interim relief to the petitioners as sought.”
In dismissing the immediate relief request, the court instructed the Bihar government and the BPSC to provide a comprehensive response by January 30, 2025.
The court highlighted that the final verdict regarding the validity of the results or their cancellation will rely on future hearings. The next session is set for January 31, 2025.
The petitioners aimed for the examination's cancellation, alleging irregularities and a lack of transparency in the exam's administration. They also requested a halt on the results announcement until the alleged discrepancies were addressed. They claimed that mismanagement and malpractice had tainted the examination's integrity, affecting numerous aspirants.
The Bihar government and BPSC contested these accusations, defending the examination's conduct and asserting adherence to established protocols. The petitioners, represented by senior advocate Y.V. Giri, noted that irregularities were reported not just at the Bapu Examination Complex in Patna but at 28 other centers as well.
“There was a leak of the question paper, and BPSC was inadequately prepared for the examination. Changes to candidates' centers were made at the last minute, causing confusion. Conducting the exam on two different days (December 13 and January 4) was fundamentally unfair and favored those who took the test on the second day,” Giri contended in court.
Advocate General P.K. Shahi and the BPSC attorney refuted these claims, stating that only one of the 14 petitioners sat for both tests at the Bapu Examination Complex, and no formal complaints regarding irregularities were submitted to the commission.
A detailed video recording from the Bapu Examination Complex revealed no evidence of widespread malpractice, with the exception of one candidate who left with a question paper during the December 13 exam.
“A candidate at the Bapu Examination Complex on December 13 left with a question paper around 1:05 PM, and some questions later appeared on social media,” remarked the BPSC lawyer.
He further contended that this was an isolated event and did not indicate a systemic failure or leak that would compromise the examination's integrity. The actions of this individual were singular, and BPSC acted promptly to rectify the situation. Allegations concerning a question paper leak were dismissed as unfounded.
Shahi also mentioned that a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to the examination is still pending, and it ought to be incorporated into this hearing for a comprehensive resolution.
