Prashant Kishor Arrested in Patna Over BPSC Exam Protest

Patna : Prashant Kishor, leader of the Jan Suraaj Party, was arrested on January 6, 2025, while on an indefinite hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, demanding the cancellation of the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) due to allegations of a paper leak. Kishor, who began his fast on January 2, presented five main demands, including a high-level investigation into the exam irregularities, a re-examination, and action against those responsible for the December 29 lathi-charge on students protesting in Patna.

Despite police warnings and a forceful eviction process during which Kishor was allegedly slapped, his protest continued. On January 4, BPSC conducted a re-examination for candidates at the Bapu Exam Centre (BEC), where discrepancies were reported during the original prelims. However, Kishor and his supporters maintain that the re-exam does not address the broader concerns of the paper leak.

The demands also include unemployment allowances for Bihar’s youth and a policy ensuring greater job opportunities for locals in the state’s government sector. Kishor vowed to continue his protest until Chief Minister Nitish Kumar personally addresses the students’ concerns.