Patna: A protest by thousands of BPSC candidates against the normalization process in the 70th Civil Services Examination turned violent on Wednesday as police resorted to lathicharge. The protest, staged outside the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) office, saw several students injured, with reports of one candidate suffering a fractured head and another with a broken leg.
The protesters had gathered in large numbers to demand the withdrawal of normalization in the exam process, citing its unfairness. Despite police requests to disperse, the candidates refused to leave, prompting authorities to use force to break up the protest.
Eyewitnesses reported chaotic scenes as police chased protesters down the streets, hitting them with batons. “The police misbehaved with us. We were chased and beaten mercilessly,” alleged one of the injured students.
After being dispersed, the candidates regrouped and attempted to return to the BPSC office, but were met with repeated lathicharge from the police. The situation has since shifted to Gardanibagh, where around 2,000 students have gathered.
Prominent teachers and influencers, Khan Sir and Rehman Sir, have joined the protest in support of the students. Speaking to the media, Khan Sir stated, “We are protesting peacefully. Our demand is clear—we want normalization to end, and we won’t leave until the notification is issued.”
Rehman Sir echoed the sentiment, adding, “Both Khans stand firm in support of the students and will not back down.”
The normalization process, which involves adjusting scores to account for variations in exam difficulty across different shifts, has been a contentious issue. Candidates argue that it disproportionately affects their chances and creates inequity in the evaluation process.
As tensions continue to escalate, all eyes are on the state administration and the BPSC to address the concerns raised by the protesters and resolve the standoff.
