Last updated:
There was chaos at an examination center on Friday due to rumor of BPSC preliminary exam question paper being leaked.
BPSC Exam: Around 300-400 students left the exam alleging that the paper was leaked.
There was an uproar at an examination center on Friday due to the rumor that the question paper of the preliminary examination of Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) was leaked. The commission also warned of police action against those responsible for the alleged “conspiracy”.
Around 300-400 candidates boycotted the BPSC 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 at the Bapu Examination Center in Kumhrar, Patna alleging that the question paper was leaked on social media before the examination.
However, BPSC Chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai said the exam was conducted fairly across over 900 centres, with around five lakh candidates appearing for the exam on Friday.
“The BPSC CCE 70th preliminary exam was conducted in a single shift from noon to 2 pm. The examination was conducted at 912 centers across the state, and free and fair examination was conducted at 911 of them,” Parmar told PTI.
“However, at a center in Patna, some candidates snatched the question paper from the invigilators and walked out of the examination hall shouting that the paper had been leaked. Snatching question papers from invigilators and showing them to outsiders is tantamount to looting public property. “Police action will be initiated against these people who have acted as part of the conspiracy… We are examining the CCTV footage to identify them,” Parmar said.
“Use of mobile phones was strictly prohibited inside the examination centre, so it is not clear how these candidates came to know about the rumors of question paper leak. Obviously, there is some conspiracy involved. The police is investigating the matter, but I assure you that the question paper has not been leaked.”
Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh reached the examination center on receiving information about the uproar.
A large crowd gathered outside the examination center and news channels showed footage of the district magistrate slapping an unruly spectator and directing the police to detain troublemakers.
Authorities are in the process of registering an FIR against people who attempted to take the law into their own hands inside and outside an examination center in Kumhrar. Singh said, there was a slight delay in the distribution of question booklets inside one or two examination halls of the centre.
“Against the seating arrangement for 272 students in each examination hall, there were only 192 sets in each question booklet boxes. This caused a delay in the distribution of question booklets…This was objected to by the candidates, who snatched the question papers from the invigilators and alleged that the paper had been leaked.”
The DM said that after this, around 300-400 students came out of their examination hall alleging that the paper was leaked and boycotted the examination.
“The remaining candidates from other exam halls in the same center took the exam and came out of the hall only after 2 pm. The DM said, the district administration will submit its report on the incident to BPSC for appropriate action.
Speaking to reporters, some students claimed that the question booklet/OMR sheet was given late.
A student outside the Kumharar center questioned, “When seating arrangements were made for 272 candidates, why were only 192 question papers brought in one set?”
Also read: How formal and informal education can help you build your career – All about RPL
Bihar Police investigating BPSC paper leak claims
Bihar Police has started investigating the allegations made by students regarding the possible question paper leak. “We are gathering details and monitoring the situation closely,” said Manavjeet Singh Dhillon, deputy inspector general of the Economic Offenses Unit (EOU).
Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) preliminary examination was held on Friday to select candidates for Group A and B posts.
Earlier, BPSC aspirants held a protest in Patna, protesting the alleged rule changes for the preliminary exam and requesting extension of the exam date. However, BPSC clarified that no changes have been made in the examination process.
(This story has not been edited by AyraNews24x7 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,
