Bihar police use water cannons as protesting BPSC students march to gherao CM residence

Protesting students broke through police barricades in their bid to gherao the Bihar chief minister's residence in Patna on Tuesday, even as police used water cannons to disperse the agitators.

A large number of (BPSC) Bihar Public Service Commission Teacher Recruitment Examination-4 aspirants, along with other students, began their pre-announced march from Gandhi Maidan and reached Dak Bungalow crossing, where police detained several people. Many of the students were carrying the tricolour as they jostled with police and broke through barricades at the crossing.

The students have been protesting at Patna's Gardanibagh area for weeks, with their main demands including a single-tier examination in BPSC-TRE 4, transparency in the recruitment process, recruitment exams by the Bihar Staff Selection Commission and fair opportunities for Hindi-medium candidates. Citing irregularities in the 70th BPSC exam, the protesting students demanded that the exam be cancelled.

Congress leader Sushil Kumar said the protesters were also seeking a single-stage examination for Teacher Recruitment Examination 4.0 and abolition of negative marking. He said several issues relating to the BPSC, Bihar Staff Selection Commission and Sub-Inspector recruitment remained unresolved. Kumar said the protesters had been on a hunger strike for nine days and wanted the Chief Minister to engage with their representatives. "We have urged the Chief Minister to hold a dialogue; he should invite our delegation for talks," he told ANI.

The ruling Janata Dal (United) said the government was addressing the demands in accordance with established rules and laws. JDU leader Shravan Kumar highlighted the state's recruitment drive and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's resolve to provide one crore jobs between 2025 and 2030. He urged the youth to remain patient and alleged that the Opposition was using their concerns for political purposes.

State Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari said the government had addressed almost all the demands and that its doors remained open for further dialogue. "Let the students come, talk, and get their issues resolved; the government belongs to them," he told ANI. Tiwari also criticised RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav over his comments on examinations and challenged him to study in a Bihar government school and pass the Class 10 examination before offering suggestions.