The Patna High Court has dismissed petitions demanding a re-examination of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Preliminary Exam, providing much-needed relief to the commission and the Bihar government. However, the court accompanied this relief with several strong guidelines aimed at reforming the BPSC’s future examination process.
The bench, led by Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Parthasarthy, clearly directed the BPSC to proceed with the upcoming main examination. This decision comes as a setback for the petitioners, who have now announced their intention to approach the Supreme Court.
During the hearings, the court noted that the evidence submitted—mainly social media posts from platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter)—were insufficient to order a re-exam or a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. The court acknowledged certain irregularities but concluded that there was no conclusive proof suggesting a mass-level malpractice or paper leak before the examination.
The demand for a re-exam had gained political traction, with opposition parties and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader and Union Minister Chirag Paswan openly criticizing the BPSC’s conduct. The Bihar government, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, had been under significant pressure following widespread protests across Patna after the preliminary exam held on December 13, 2024. A re-exam was also conducted for candidates from Patna’s Bapu Examination Center on January 4, 2025.
Importantly, the High Court has issued a set of detailed recommendations to the BPSC for improving transparency and efficiency in future exams. These include:
Establishing a permanent high-level committee to monitor the exam process and security.
Implementing a robust structural system to address complaints at every stage.
Using digital watermarking and tracking technologies for better question paper security.
Advocate Y.V. Giri, representing the candidates, acknowledged the court’s directions, stating that while the re-exam demand was rejected, the court’s focus on improving future exams is noteworthy.
The BPSC had already declared the preliminary exam results on January 23, 2025, following the court’s earlier refusal to stay the results on January 16, 2025. However, candidates remain dissatisfied and have resolved to continue their legal battle by moving to the Supreme Court.
The Patna High Court’s decision is seen as a crucial moment, balancing relief for the BPSC and the Bihar government while emphasizing the need for reforms and transparency in recruitment examinations.
