Patna High Court Denies Re-examination Requests for 70th BPSC Preliminary Exam
Click to start listening
Synopsis
The Patna High Court has denied all petitions calling for a re-examination of the 70th BPSC Civil Preliminary Examination, providing relief to the Bihar government and BPSC. The court's decision concludes ongoing legal disputes, allowing the BPSC to continue preparations for the Mains Examination scheduled for April 2025.
Key Takeaways
- The Patna High Court ruled against re-examinations for the 70th BPSC PT.
- Over 3.80 lakh candidates participated in the original examination.
- Protests erupted over perceived unfairness in awarding additional marks.
- The BPSC is resuming preparations for the Mains Examination.
- Political leaders supported the protesting candidates.
Patna, March 28 (NationPress) In a significant blow to candidates advocating for a re-examination of the 70th BPSC Civil Preliminary Examination, the Patna High Court has officially dismissed all related petitions.
This ruling serves as a notable relief for both the Bihar government and the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).
The judgment was announced by a division bench led by Acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar, who had previously reserved the verdict after considering numerous petitions, including a PIL submitted by Pappu Kumar and others.
The court decisively stated that the 70th PT examination will not be held again, thus concluding a lengthy legal dispute.
In light of this ruling, the BPSC has recommenced preparations for the Mains Examination, set for April 2025.
The 70th BPSC Preliminary Examination took place on December 13, 2024, with over 3.80 lakh candidates participating at 912 centres.
Nonetheless, the examination faced serious allegations of question paper leaks at various centres, with the Bapu Sabhagar Centre in Patna revealing significant irregularities, resulting in the cancellation of the exam solely at this centre.
A re-examination was carried out on January 4, 2025, for candidates from the Bapu Sabhagar centre at 22 locations.
One major issue highlighted by petitioners was the allocation of six additional marks to those who attended the re-examination, while three questions were deemed incorrect, two were repeated from a prior exam, and one was factually inaccurate.
Petitioners contended that while candidates from the January 4 re-exam received these extra marks, others who sat for the exam on December 13 missed out on this advantage.
The alleged inequity sparked widespread protests in Patna, with many candidates calling for the total cancellation of the 70th BPSC PT exam.
Protests escalated, resulting in a police lathi-charge and leaving several students injured. A case was registered against coaching institute instructors accused of inciting the unrest.
Notable political figures, including Rahul Gandhi (Congress), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Prashant Kishor (Jansuraj), Pappu Yadav (independent), and others showed their support for the protesting candidates at Gardnibagh, Patna.
With the court's decision in its favour, the BPSC is now focused on executing the Mains Examination as scheduled. Officials have assured that they are committed to ensuring a fair and transparent examination process.
This ruling is expected to elicit mixed reactions—providing relief for some while causing disappointment for those who feel wronged by the re-examination benefits.
Nevertheless, with the court's endorsement, both the state government and BPSC appear resolute in moving ahead.
