• Source:JND
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BPSC 70th Prelims 2024: Rumors of a question paper leak for the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) preliminary examination surfaced at an examination center on Friday, leading the commission to warn of police action against those involved in the "conspiracy."

Around 300-400 candidates boycotted the BPSC's 70th Integrated Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024, held at the Bapu examination center in Kumhrar, Patna, claiming the question paper had been leaked on social media before the exam even began.

Chaos ensued at the Bapu examination center, where an additional examination superintendent, identified as Ram Iqbal Singh, tragically passed away from a cardiac arrest, and a female candidate fell unconscious.

BPSC Chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai stated that the exams were conducted in a fair and transparent manner across more than 900 centers, with nearly five lakh candidates participating on Friday.

"The BPSC CCE 70th preliminary examination was held in a single shift from noon to 2 pm. The examination was held in 912 centres across the state, and of those, free and fair exams were held in 911 centres," Parmar said, as reported by the news agency PTI.

"However, in one centre in Patna, some of the candidates snatched questions papers from the invigilators and stormed out of the examination hall screaming that the paper had been leaked. Snatching of question papers from invigilators and showing those to outsiders tantamount to looting public property. Police action will be initiated against these persons who seem to have acted as a part of a conspiracy... we are examining CCTV footage to identify them," he added.

"Mobile phones were not allowed inside the examination centre, then how did these candidates come to know about the rumours of question paper leak? Definitely some conspiracy is at work. Police are investigating the matter... there has been no leak of the question paper at all. The examination will not be cancelled which a very few people with vested interest are demanding," he added.

Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh arrived at the examination center after hearing about the commotion. A large crowd had gathered outside the center, and news channels broadcasted footage of the DM slapping one of the unruly bystanders. He was also seen instructing police personnel to detain all those involved in the disruption.

Authorities have filed an FIR to identify those who attempted to take the law into their own hands inside and outside the examination center at Kumhrar. A group of protesters gathered outside the Bapu examination center and blocked traffic in the area.

"An additional superintendent at Bapu examination centre, Ram Iqbal Singh, suffered a cardiac arrest and the ambulance carrying him was stuck in the blockade. Mild force was used to clear the blockade. Ram Iqbal Singh, however, died in the hospital during treatment. A female candidate also fell unconscious in the same examination centre," the DM said.

As far as slapping one of the protestors outside the Bapu examination centre is concerned, the DM clarified, "It was never my intention to slap or hurt any aspirant."

There was a slight delay in distribution of question booklets inside one-two examination halls at the centre, Singh said.

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"Against the seating arrangements for 272 students in each examination hall, boxes of each question booklet had only 192 sets. This caused delay in the distribution of question booklets... this was objected to by the aspirants who snatched question papers from invigilators and alleged that the paper was leaked," he said.

Following this, around 300-400 students came out of their examination halls alleging that the paper was leaked, the DM said, adding they boycotted the exam.

"The remaining candidates of other examination halls in the same centre took the exam and came out of the halls only after 2 pm. The district administration will submit its report on the incident to the BPSC for appropriate action," the DM said.

Speaking to reporters, some students claimed that the question booklet/OMR sheets were given late.

"When seating arrangements were made for 272 candidates, why only 192 question papers were brought in one set?" questioned a student outside the Kumhrar centre.

Meanwhile, Bihar Police are also probing the allegations levelled by the students.

Deputy Inspector General of the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar Police Manavjit Singh Dhillon said, "We are ascertaining details and keeping a close watch on the developments."

(With PTI Inputs)

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