BPSC (prelims): Chaos erupts at exam centre amid allegations of paper leak – Times of India
Patna: Chaos erupted at the Bapu Examination Centre in Patna on Friday during the 70th Combined Preliminary Examination conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC). Candidates alleged that the question paper had been leaked and that there were delays in distributing the papers. However, BPSC officials denied these allegations, saying that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the matter.
The exam, which was scheduled to begin at 12 noon, saw delays at the Bapu Centre, located in the Kumhrar locality of Patna. Several candidates said they received the question paper nearly an hour late. Others claimed that some papers were torn, fuelling concerns about a possible leak. Protesters outside the exam centre demanded a re-examination and strict action against those responsible for the alleged leak.
Patna DM Chandrashekhar Singh and SSP Rajiv Mishra reached the centre with a large police presence. Tensions escalated when a candidate protesting against the alleged paper leak was slapped by the Patna DM, prompting the police to intervene and move the candidate aside. Security was heightened at the examination centre as the situation intensified.
The DM clarified that arrangements had been made for 12,000 candidates at the centre. “A box containing 192 question papers had been opened, but there were 273 candidates in the hall. The superintendent then requested a sealed packet from another hall to distribute among the remaining students. Around 300-400 candidates chose to boycott the exam in protest while the rest continued the exam as planned,” he said. The DM said no paper leak occurred, attributing the confusion to a misunderstanding. He added that a report had been sent to the BPSC for further investigation.
On the other hand, candidates who completed the exam, varied opinions on the paper’s difficulty. Many, including first-time examinees like Chandni Singh from Biharsharif and Zarina from Delhi, found the questions relatively easy. Both said they had attempted about 80-90 questions out of 150 due to the fear of negative marking.
“The questions were not at all difficult, but we were cautious because of the negative marking,” said Chandni. Amit, an examinee already in a govt job, also felt the paper was easy but confusing due to the proximity of dates mentioned in the questions. “It was easy, but the close dates made it confusing. We did not want to risk marking incorrect answers,” he said.
Santosh, a third-time examinee from Buxur, rated the paper as average, citing his lack of preparation due to other commitments.
The exam, which was attended by nearly 4.83 lakh candidates across nearly 950 centres, was conducted under tight security with over 30,000 CCTV cameras, jammers and other measures in place to ensure a safe and fair process. The exam, held in a single sitting from 12 noon to 2pm, was also monitored closely for any irregularities as the BPSC sought to assure the public of the integrity of the examination process.
No paper leak, says BPSC chairman: Despite the uproar, BPSC chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai categorically rejected the claims of a paper leak during the 70th Combined Preliminary Examination. He said, “The allegation of a paper leak is completely false. No paper has been leaked from any centre. The exam was conducted at 912 centres across the state and the disturbance occurred at only one centre.”
Manubhai dismissed rumours that the paper had gone viral, pointing out that no complaints had been lodged with the commission and questioned how such a leak could happen without cellphones or internet access.
The exam, which was scheduled to begin at 12 noon, saw delays at the Bapu Centre, located in the Kumhrar locality of Patna. Several candidates said they received the question paper nearly an hour late. Others claimed that some papers were torn, fuelling concerns about a possible leak. Protesters outside the exam centre demanded a re-examination and strict action against those responsible for the alleged leak.
Patna DM Chandrashekhar Singh and SSP Rajiv Mishra reached the centre with a large police presence. Tensions escalated when a candidate protesting against the alleged paper leak was slapped by the Patna DM, prompting the police to intervene and move the candidate aside. Security was heightened at the examination centre as the situation intensified.
The DM clarified that arrangements had been made for 12,000 candidates at the centre. “A box containing 192 question papers had been opened, but there were 273 candidates in the hall. The superintendent then requested a sealed packet from another hall to distribute among the remaining students. Around 300-400 candidates chose to boycott the exam in protest while the rest continued the exam as planned,” he said. The DM said no paper leak occurred, attributing the confusion to a misunderstanding. He added that a report had been sent to the BPSC for further investigation.
On the other hand, candidates who completed the exam, varied opinions on the paper’s difficulty. Many, including first-time examinees like Chandni Singh from Biharsharif and Zarina from Delhi, found the questions relatively easy. Both said they had attempted about 80-90 questions out of 150 due to the fear of negative marking.
“The questions were not at all difficult, but we were cautious because of the negative marking,” said Chandni. Amit, an examinee already in a govt job, also felt the paper was easy but confusing due to the proximity of dates mentioned in the questions. “It was easy, but the close dates made it confusing. We did not want to risk marking incorrect answers,” he said.
Santosh, a third-time examinee from Buxur, rated the paper as average, citing his lack of preparation due to other commitments.
The exam, which was attended by nearly 4.83 lakh candidates across nearly 950 centres, was conducted under tight security with over 30,000 CCTV cameras, jammers and other measures in place to ensure a safe and fair process. The exam, held in a single sitting from 12 noon to 2pm, was also monitored closely for any irregularities as the BPSC sought to assure the public of the integrity of the examination process.
No paper leak, says BPSC chairman: Despite the uproar, BPSC chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai categorically rejected the claims of a paper leak during the 70th Combined Preliminary Examination. He said, “The allegation of a paper leak is completely false. No paper has been leaked from any centre. The exam was conducted at 912 centres across the state and the disturbance occurred at only one centre.”
Manubhai dismissed rumours that the paper had gone viral, pointing out that no complaints had been lodged with the commission and questioned how such a leak could happen without cellphones or internet access.
