Patna, June 20 (IANS) After nearly two years of examinations, protests, and legal and political debates, the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has declared the final results of the 70th Combined Competitive Examination.

A total of 2,027 candidates have been selected for various prestigious administrative posts in Bihar.

Announcing the results, BPSC Chairman Ravi Manubhai Parmar described the 70th Combined Competitive Examination as one of the largest recruitment drives in the commission’s history.

The selected candidates will be appointed to several important positions in the state administration, including Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), State Tax Officer, Tax Superintendent, and other administrative and allied services.

With the declaration of the final results, the appointment process will now begin after recommendations are sent to the respective departments.

While announcing the results, Parmar stated that investigations conducted during the controversy did not find any evidence of a paper leak.

According to him, certain individuals attempted to mislead candidates and create unrest during the recruitment process. He claimed that outsiders were brought in to intensify protests and agitations.

The preliminary examination was conducted at 912 examination centres across Bihar. The commission revised the examination schedule several times before conducting the preliminary examination.

Initially, dates such as September 30 and November 17, 2024, were considered. Eventually, the commission decided to conduct the examination in a single shift on December 13, 2024.

Even before the examination, thousands of candidates opposed the proposed normalisation system. On December 6, 2024, candidates staged a large protest outside the BPSC office in Patna.

The demonstration continued for nearly 12 hours. After efforts to persuade protesters failed, police carried out a lathi-charge, leading to injuries among several students.

Popular teachers Khan Sir and Guru Rahman extended support to the protesting students. Both participated in demonstrations at Gardanibagh along with the candidates.

The two educators were briefly detained by police during the protests. Khan Sir’s health reportedly deteriorated during the agitation, and he was later hospitalised.

The biggest controversy erupted during the preliminary examination on December 13, 2024, at the Bapu Examination Centre in Patna.

Candidates alleged irregularities during the examination and staged protests at the centre. Subsequently, BPSC cancelled the examination at that centre only.

However, protesting students demanded cancellation of the entire state examination, arguing that if irregularities had occurred at one centre, the examination across Bihar should be conducted afresh.

This demand intensified the agitation and kept the recruitment process in the spotlight for several months.

The controversy surrounding the 70th BPSC examination also drew political attention.

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor undertook a hunger strike in support of the protesting candidates, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also raised the issue.

The examination remained a major political and social issue in Bihar for several months.

With the declaration of the final results, one of Bihar’s most discussed recruitment processes has concluded, bringing relief to thousands of candidates who had been awaiting the examination’s outcome.

–IANS

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