Indian police use water cannon at new protest over test paper leaks

BHUBANESWAR, India: Police in India's eastern Bihar state used water cannon and detained dozens of protesters attempting to march on the governor's residence on Tuesday (Aug 25) demanding the cancellation of a civil services recruitment examination over allegations of leaked test question papers and other wrongdoing.

The Bihar Public Service Commission test is a highly competitive state-level test held to recruit officers to the state administration.

The protests have erupted over the test conducted in December 2024. More than 300,000 candidates appeared for 2,000 positions that were filled in June, after two rounds of tests and an interview, local media reported.

The state government has previously denied allegations of a widespread question paper leak, but it did order a re-examination at one centre at the time.

Visuals from news agency ANI showed hundreds of protesters in state capital Patna breaking through police barricades before water was sprayed from a cannon to push them back.

Visuals also showed protesters being hauled into a police bus that was driven away from the spot.

“The protest is now peaceful, and most of the demands have been met by the government," senior police officer K.S. Anupam told Reuters.

Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari also said the government had addressed students' demands, without giving more details, and added the door for dialogue remained "wide open".

India has seen a rise in demonstrations over wrongdoing in tests since the weeks-long Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led youth protests forced the federal education minister's resignation in July.

Similar protests in the neighbouring state of Jharkhand triggered the cancellation of civil service examinations there.

The CJP has announced a peaceful march in New Delhi next month to protest against what it says is the federal government's failure to fulfil some promises made at the time, including withdrawal of police cases against protesters.