Patna High Court Deliberates on 70th BPSC Prelims Re-Exam Requests
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Synopsis
The Patna High Court has reserved its decision regarding petitions for a re-examination of the 70th BPSC Civil Preliminary Examination, amidst allegations of irregularities and a question paper leak during the exam. The ruling will address the validity of the current results for over 4 lakh candidates.
Key Takeaways
- Patna High Court reserves judgment on BPSC exam re-exam petitions.
- Allegations of question paper leak and irregularities raised.
- Advocate General denies all claims.
- Protests continue from candidates demanding cancellation.
- A ruling will affect over 4 lakh candidates.
Patna, March 19 (NationPress) The Patna High Court on Wednesday reserved its ruling on petitions calling for the re-examination of the 70th BPSC Civil Preliminary Examination.
The division bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar, concluded its session after examining several petitions, including a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to the issue.
Petitioners claimed that there were significant irregularities, including a leak of the question paper during the examination held on December 13, 2024, across 912 centres in Bihar.
Advocate General PK Shahi, representing the Bihar government, dismissed all allegations, asserting that no irregularities took place and that accusations of a leak were politically motivated.
Initially, Justice A.S. Chandel presided over the case before it was handed over to the division bench. Justice Arvind Kumar Chandel had previously ordered the state government and BPSC to present an affidavit clarifying the situation by January 30, 2025.
After extensive arguments from both sides, the division bench, led by Ashutosh Kumar, has reserved its decision.
Senior attorney YV Giri, representing the petitioners, contended that the electronic jammers at various examination centres malfunctioned, possibly facilitating malpractice.
The exam at Bapu Examination Centre (Kumhrar, Patna) was cancelled on December 13, 2024, and subsequently re-administered at 22 centres on January 4, 2025, a move that petitioners argue violates constitutional mandates.
Furthermore, they alleged that several questions and answer options were erroneous, adversely affecting candidates' scores and overall outcomes.
Despite facing legal hurdles, the BPSC announced preliminary results and set dates for the main examination.
The petitioners requested a stay on the 70th BPSC recruitment process; however, the court declined to pause the main exam. A final judgment is awaited following the completion of court hearings.
This ruling will determine whether the preliminary exam results remain valid or if a re-examination will be necessary for over 4 lakh candidates.
In the meantime, a group of BPSC candidates continues to protest at the Gardanibagh Dharna site, demanding the cancellation of the preliminary examination.
