Fri Dec 06 12:34:25 UTC 2024: ## Patna Police Use Force to Disperse BPSC Exam Protesters

**Patna, Bihar –** Hundreds of aspiring Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) candidates were lathi-charged by Patna Police on Friday after protesting outside the commission’s office against rumors of exam normalization. The 70th Combined Preliminary Examination, scheduled for December 13th, 2024, is causing anxiety among the nearly 480,000 applicants.

Protesters, supported by student leaders, fear the introduction of normalization – a process used to adjust scores across different exam shifts – despite the exam being held in a single shift across 925 centers in Bihar. They argue that normalization is unnecessary and could unfairly impact their results.

BPSC Secretary Satya Prakash Sharma vehemently denied any plans for normalization, stating that the commission would have announced it publicly if such a decision had been made. He dismissed the protests as baseless, suggesting that only unserious candidates were involved. Sharma emphasized that the pass rate is typically only 1% and that serious candidates wouldn’t resort to protests.

Despite the Secretary’s assurances, candidates remain concerned about transparency and are demanding official confirmation to alleviate their anxieties before the exam. The admit cards were released on Friday.

The incident highlights growing unrest amongst candidates regarding fairness and clear communication in competitive examination processes. The protests have gained further attention after RJD leader and Leader of the Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, voiced his support for the candidates’ demands for clarity and fairness. The situation underscores the need for improved communication and trust-building between examining bodies and aspiring civil servants.

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