In a major setback to BPSC aspirants, the Patna High Court, on Friday, dismissed the writ petitions challenging the 70th Combined Competitive Examination (Preliminary) conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on 13 December 2024, on the basis of alleged paper leak.

The petition was filed by Pappu Kumar and other candidates, who demanded that the examination should be cancelled and conducted afresh.

Advertisement

The BPSC aspirants, who have been protesting over the issue for more than three months, are in a shock to see the division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar dismissing their plea and directing the state government and the BPSC to conduct the 70th Mains examination.

The related cases were heard for two days on March 18 and 19. The court had reserved the decision after completing the hearing.

The petition filed by Pappu Kumar and other candidates was first heard by Justice Arvind Singh Chandel on 16 January. He had refused to grant an interim relief to the petitioners who had requested the court to direct the BPSC not to publish results of the 70th Preliminary Test.

Advocate Ashok Kumar Dubey, a member of senior advocate YV Giri’s team, pleading the case on behalf of the BPSC aspirants, said the option to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court is open. “It should be challenged. But any decision will be made only after going through the verdict. We have not yet received a copy of the verdict,” he added.

Reacting to the verdict, Guru Rahman, one of the popular teachers leading the BPSC aspirants’ demonstration, said that they would definitely challenge the verdict in the apex court. “It was unfortunate. We are shocked. Students have lost confidence in free and fair trials. BPSC Chairman Parmar Ravi Manubhai is playing with the future of the BPSC aspirants. We will not remain silent,” he asserted.The BPSC aspirants, who have been demanding that the examination should be cancelled and conducted afresh, are in shock.