Police in the eastern Bihar state used water cannon and detained dozens of protesters attempting to march on the governor’s residence demanding the cancellation of a civil services recruitment examination over allegations of leaked test question papers and other wrongdoing.
The Bihar Public Service Commission test is a highly competitive state-level test held to recruit officers to the state administration.
The protests have erupted over the test conducted in Dec 2024. More than 300,000 candidates appeared for 2,000 positions that were filled in June, after two rounds of tests and an interview, local media reported.
The state government has previously denied allegations of a widespread question paper leak, but it did order a re-examination at one centre at the time.
Visuals from news agency ANI showed hundreds of protesters in state capital Patna breaking through police barricades before water was sprayed from a cannon to push them back.
Visuals also showed protesters being hauled into a police bus that was driven away from the spot.
“The protest is now peaceful, and most of the demands have been met by the government,” senior police officer KS Anupam said.
Education minister Mithilesh Tiwari has also said the government had addressed students’ demands, without giving more details, and added the door for dialogue remained “wide open”. — Reuters
