Supreme Court Denies Request to Stop BPSC Mains Exam Set for April 25
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Synopsis
The Supreme Court has refused to block the Bihar Public Service Commission mains exam scheduled for April 25, dismissing petitions alleging irregularities in the prelims. The ruling follows previous decisions from the Patna High Court regarding the exam's validity amidst protests and allegations of question paper leaks.
Key Takeaways
- The Supreme Court upheld the BPSC mains exam schedule.
- Petitions alleging irregularities were dismissed.
- Previous court rulings provided relief to the BPSC.
- Protests erupted over perceived unfairness in the exam process.
- Political leaders supported the protesting candidates.
New Delhi, Apr 23 (NationPress) The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the request to stop the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) mains examination set for April 25, as it dismissed several petitions claiming irregularities in the 70th BPSC preliminary exam.
A panel of Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan did not agree to the plea for re-conducting the preliminary examination amidst allegations of question paper leaks at various centres.
Previously, on March 28, the Patna High Court dismissed 14 petitions from concerned candidates, offering significant relief to both the BPSC and the Bihar government.
A division bench led by Acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar, which had earlier reserved its ruling after hearing numerous petitions including a PIL filed by Pappu Kumar and others, determined that the preliminary examination would not be held again, effectively ending the extended legal dispute.
The 70th BPSC preliminary examination took place on December 13, 2024, with over 3.8 lakh candidates participating across 912 examination centres.
Reports of irregularities surfaced, including question paper leaks at certain centres. The BPSC directed a re-examination only for the Bapu Sabhagar Centre in Patna on January 4, 2025.
One significant issue highlighted by petitioners was the awarding of six additional marks to candidates who took the re-examination, while three questions were deemed incorrect, two questions were repeated from a past exam, and one question was factually inaccurate. Petitioners contended that while those from the January 4 re-exam received these extra six marks, other candidates who sat for the exam on December 13 last year were not given this advantage.
This perceived injustice triggered extensive protests in Patna, where many candidates called for the complete cancellation of the 70th BPSC PT exam. The protests escalated, leading to a police lathi-charge that left several students injured.
A case was also filed against teachers from coaching institutes accused of inciting the protests. Well-known political figures, including Rahul Gandhi (Congress), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Prashant Kishor (Jansuraj), and Pappu Yadav (independent), expressed support for the protesting candidates at Gardanibagh, Patna.
