Protests Erupt in Patna Over BPSC Normalization Policy

On the morning of December 19, 2023, protests erupted outside the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) office in Patna as thousands of students gathered to voice their demands against the proposed normalization of examination processes. The protests were characterized by heavy police presence, which included deployment around the BPSC office to maintain order. The students, expressing concerns over the lack of clarity regarding the multiple question sets policy, insisted on a clarification from the commission regarding normalization procedures. Protesters, led by student leaders, demanded that the examinations should be conducted fairly with a single set of questions for all candidates, akin to practices followed by other civil service examinations in India. Tensions escalated when police attempted to disperse the crowd, reportedly leading to incidents of lathi charge on students. The students maintained that their protests were peaceful and called for dialogue with BPSC officials. The situation is reflective of the larger frustrations among students dealing with bureaucratic processes, akin to a group of friends trying to resolve a disagreement peacefully but facing interruptions from outside forces, preventing them from reaching a consensus.