Bihar Student Protests: Barricades Broken, Police Use Water Cannons
Bihar student protests intensified after barricades were breached during demonstrations.
Students protesting over the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination broke through barricades while marching towards Raj Bhavan from Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Tuesday. Police used water cannons to disperse the protesters as the agitation intensified, with students demanding cancellation of the examination over alleged irregularities.
The protest has also focused on the proposed Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-4), with students opposing the plan to conduct the examination in two phases across Bihar. They are also demanding the release of the official TRE-4 advertisement, implementation of a single-stage examination and removal of negative marking. Police deployed personnel at major intersections along the proposed route to maintain order and regulate traffic.
Kamakhya Narayan Singh, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Law and Order), said barricades had been placed and senior officers deployed at the protest location. He also indicated that discussions with students had taken place over their demands and that several issues had been accepted. However, police warned that protesters would not be allowed to proceed towards restricted areas.
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Congress leader Sushil Kumar, speaking at the protest site, said the demonstrators were seeking changes in TRE-4 as well as action on issues involving the BPSC, Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) and Sub-Inspector recruitment. He urged Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary to hold talks with a delegation of protesters, noting that students had been on a hunger strike for nine days.
Meanwhile, Bihar Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav wrote to Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, urging the government to engage with the protesters and seek an immediate resolution to the examination-related dispute. The Rashtriya Janata Dal has backed the agitation, while 14 student and youth organisations, including the Revolutionary Youth Association, SSAI and Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Morcha, have also extended support.
As the agitation continued, Choudhary announced the launch of monthly 'Vidyarthi Sahyog Shivir' to address student grievances. The camps will be held at educational institutions on the fourth Tuesday of every month, while students will also be able to register complaints online and track their status through a portal and Helpline 1100. The dispute has also intensified following remarks by BPSC Examination Controller Rajesh Kumar over allegations surrounding irregularities and paper leaks, with Tejashwi Yadav demanding his removal and an apology.
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