In Patna, students and job seekers protested demanding Bihar Police job vacancy announcements and release of exam answer keys. The protest turned violent as police baton-charged them, amid rising frustration over long recruitment delays.
A large group of students and job aspirants clashed with police on Monday at Dak Bunglow Chauraha, Patna. They were protesting to demand that the Bihar government announce vacancies for police inspectors, constables, and other government jobs. The aspirants have not seen any new recruitment notifications for over two years, causing frustration and uncertainty about their future.
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The protest was organized by students and job seekers under the campaign called ‘Mukhyamantri Awas Gherao’. The protestors marched through the streets of Patna with placards and slogans, urging the government to release the official notification and exam dates for Bihar Police recruitment before the upcoming state assembly elections.
Protesters clash with police, national flag controversy
As the protest grew in size, demonstrators breached police security barricades near Dak Bunglow crossing. This forced the police to baton-charge them to disperse the crowd. In a controversial move, a police official was seen grabbing the Indian national flag and swinging it at the protesters, which drew sharp criticism from the public and activists.
Patna SSP Kartikeya K Sharma said, “Protesters gathered in large numbers, blocked traffic, and reached near Kotwali Police Station, a restricted area. They refused to leave despite repeated appeals, which led to the baton-charge.” Several protesters claimed they were injured in the police action.
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Key demands of the job aspirants
The protestors demanded that the government immediately announce the total vacancies for police jobs and fix a date for the constable recruitment test. They also called for the release of the answer key and the question booklet carbon copy for exams conducted by the Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission (BPSSC) and Central Selection Board of Constable (CSBC).
Khusbu Pathak, a protester, told reporters, “We have peacefully raised our voice many times, but the administration is not acting. We are begging the government to fulfill our demands. We want answer keys and notification of police vacancies before the elections.”
Another protester, Nitish Kumar, said, “For the last two years, no new vacancies have been announced. We are sons of poor farmers preparing for these exams, not the children of politicians. We face many problems while living and studying in Patna. The administration is not allowing us to meet the Chief Minister.”
Aman Kumar Yadav added, “We want to meet only the Chief Minister or Chief Secretary to put forward our demand. Our campaign is peaceful and constitutional.”
The recruitment and elections in Bihar
The Bihar Police Constable exam organized by the CSBC was conducted in multiple phases from July 15 to August 3 this year. In addition, the BPSSC released an official notification on May 29 for the recruitment of 33 Enforcement Sub Inspectors in the Transport Department.
Bihar is expected to hold assembly elections in October-November 2025, though official dates have not been announced. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is fighting to retain power. The opposition INDIA bloc, led by the RJD and supported by the Congress, is aiming to challenge the government.
Currently, the Bihar Assembly has 243 members. NDA holds 131 seats, with BJP having 80 MLAs, JD(U) 45, HAM(S) 4, and 2 Independents. The opposition INDIA bloc has 111 members, led by RJD with 77 MLAs, Congress 19, CPI(ML) 11, and others.