PATNA: Government job aspirants staged a protest march in Patna on Tuesday, demanding cancellation of several recruitment examinations over alleged irregularities, as police detained protesters who entered prohibited areas during the demonstration.
The protesters began their march from Gandhi Maidan and attempted to move towards the chief minister’s residence. Police stopped them at JP Golambar, where barricades had been put up as part of the security arrangements.
Amid rain, some protesters carrying the Tricolour broke through the barricades and took alternative routes that were not covered by the police deployment. Some also attempted to block railway tracks, while others moved towards the state assembly and the chief minister’s residence.
Patna SSP Kartikeya K Sharma said several protesters were detained from different locations after entering restricted areas.
“They should protest only at designated sites and present their demands systematically,” Sharma told reporters.
He said the movement of protesters into prohibited areas disrupted public order and affected essential services, including ambulance movement. Schoolchildren were also reportedly stranded for some time.
The protesters are seeking cancellation of the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination and the recruitment examination for 1,799 sub-inspector posts conducted by the Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission (BPSSC).
They alleged that the examinations were affected by several inconsistencies. The protesters also opposed the contractual system in BPSC examinations, including the 25% weightage rule, and demanded regular examinations.
They further called on the state government to publish a job calendar for recruitment exams, saying a fixed schedule would allow aspirants to prepare without uncertainty.
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