Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj party, intensified his protest on Thursday by starting a fast-unto-death to demand the cancellation of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam held in December 2024. The move comes three days after he gave a “48-hour ultimatum” to the Nitish Kumar government to act on the demands of aggrieved candidates.
Kishor made his announcement at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna, barely a few kilometers from the site where protesting aspirants have been staging a sit-in for nearly two weeks at Gardani Bagh. His primary demand is for the BPSC to cancel the exam held on December 13, which many candidates allege was marred by a question paper leak. He further claimed that some of the posts meant to be filled by the exam were effectively “put on sale,” accusing corrupt officials of involvement. He has called for these officials to be identified and prosecuted.
In addition to seeking the cancellation of the exam, Kishor’s demands extended to a broader set of issues impacting Bihar’s youth. He called on the Nitish Kumar-led state government to implement a domicile policy that would reserve two-thirds of government vacancies for residents of Bihar. He also criticized the state’s government for failing to fulfill long-standing promises, such as providing unemployment allowances, which had been promised by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar before he rose to power. Kishor noted that despite the promises, not a single person had received unemployment benefits in the past two decades.
Kishor, a former poll strategist, is positioning his Jan Suraaj party as a serious contender ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. He emphasized the need for transparency and accountability, demanding that the government issue a white paper on the numerous competitive exams over the last ten years that were tainted by allegations of question paper leaks. He accused the state administration of failing to crack down on the “education mafia,” which is suspected of orchestrating these malpractices.
The fast-unto-death was a significant escalation in Kishor’s ongoing campaign, which had already garnered attention after a protest on Sunday led to a lathi charge and the use of water cannons by the police. Kishor condemned the police action, calling it an attempt to suppress democratic expression and stating that those responsible for “turning democracy into rule by force” should be held accountable.
The Bihar district administration, in response to Kishor’s protest, declared the hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan illegal. A statement issued by the administration referred to a Patna High Court order prohibiting demonstrations anywhere in the city except the designated protest site at Gardani Bagh. Consequently, an FIR was filed against Kishor and his supporters, and they were given a notice to either relocate to Gardani Bagh or face legal action.
In a related development, the CPI(ML) Liberation and its students’ wing, AISA, announced plans to hold a demonstration on Friday in front of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s residence. The Left party has called for the cancellation of the BPSC exam and demanded that fresh tests be held. They also urged the government to take action against those responsible for the alleged exam malpractices.
The controversy surrounding the BPSC exam intensified after nearly five lakh candidates appeared for the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) on December 13. Hundreds of examinees boycotted the test at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar, claiming that the question paper had been leaked. However, the BPSC denied these allegations, labeling them a “conspiracy” to force the cancellation of the exam. In response to the unrest, the commission ordered fresh exams for more than 10,000 candidates who had appeared at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar, directing them to appear at 22 newly designated centers across Patna on January 4.
Some candidates, however, have expressed frustration with this arrangement, arguing that it undermines the principle of a “level playing field” for all. The ongoing turmoil has led to public calls for greater transparency and accountability in Bihar’s competitive exams.
Meanwhile, Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party has become increasingly vocal in its critique of the state government. Earlier this week, an 11-member delegation, including retired IPS officer RK Mishra, met with Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena in an effort to break the deadlock. However, the government has continued to assert that any decision regarding the BPSC exam must be made by the commission itself, as it is an autonomous body. Senior minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, a close aide to the Chief Minister, has publicly stated that there is “no evidence” to suggest that the question papers were leaked, making it clear that the government is not willing to intervene in a manner that would satisfy the protesting candidates.
As the political temperature in Bihar rises ahead of the 2025 assembly elections, Kishor’s fast-unto-death and the ongoing protests represent a significant challenge for the Nitish Kumar government. With issues of unemployment, corruption, and transparency now at the forefront, the state’s political landscape is poised for further turbulence.
