Hundreds of students gathered in Patna to protest against the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination, demanding the cancellation of the 70th BPSC exam due to alleged paper leaks, irregularities, and concerns over unemployment. The demonstration intensified as students attempted to march towards the Chief Minister’s residence and Raj Bhavan, resulting in confrontations with law enforcement. Police deployed water cannons and conducted lathicharge to disperse the crowd, leading to several detentions and heightened security across key city locations.According to Deccan Herald, the protests were organised by the All Bihar Students' Union and focused on longstanding issues such as repeated exam paper leaks, delays in recruitment processes, and the lack of employment opportunities. Protesters voiced frustration over the absence of librarian recruitment for nearly two decades and called for systemic reforms in Bihar’s education sector.As reported by Hindustan Times, controversy escalated when BPSC examination controller Rajesh Kumar Singh, during a press conference, referenced the proverb “haathi chale bazaar, kutte bhonke hazaar” in response to questions about the protests. The remark, widely interpreted as likening protesting students to dogs, triggered significant backlash from aspirants and opposition leaders, who demanded an apology and disciplinary action against Singh.Political leaders, including Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav, condemned the statement and called for accountability. The Indian Express stated in an article that Singh later issued a clarification, expressing regret if his words had caused offence and asserting that the proverb was quoted out of context. Despite this, the incident continued to fuel discontent among protestors and intensified calls for reform.During the ongoing agitation, BPSC officials reiterated their stance on examination policies. Statements confirmed that negative marking would remain in place for objective exams and that all future BPSC exams would be conducted in at least two stages, aligning with practices in other states. The commission also addressed allegations of discrimination against Hindi-medium candidates and clarified that evaluation was based solely on answer quality.“The BPSC official's remarks are proof that in the eyes of the authorities, our worth is not more than that of stray dogs,” several aspirants reportedly said, reflecting the prevailing sentiment among protestors.Further details on the protest revealed that multiple student groups, including those seeking teaching positions, joined the demonstrations at Gardanibagh. Coverage revealed that their demands included a single-tier examination for the Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-4), action against individuals who secured jobs through corrupt means, and increased transparency in recruitment processes.In response to the unrest, authorities increased police presence and implemented crowd control measures. Reporting indicated that several protestors were detained, and water cannons were used to prevent the march from reaching sensitive government locations. The situation remained tense as student leaders announced plans for further demonstrations.Amid the controversy, the Bihar Governor met with a delegation of protesting PhD scholars and assured them that their demands regarding the 2026 Assistant Professor Recruitment Regulations would be considered. Details emerged that a committee of educationists and administrators would be formed within 15 days to review issues such as age limits, recruitment criteria, and service conditions for guest assistant professors.“A proverb quoted by me is being twisted and presented out of context on social media. I had no intention of hurting the sentiments of any specific individual or group,” Rajesh Kumar Singh stated in his video clarification.While some groups agreed to suspend their hunger strike following the Governor’s assurances, other protests continued. Further updates confirmed that the examination schedule for TRE-4 would be announced in October, with applications accepted from 1 September to 30 September. The examination is expected to be held in December or January, depending on the number of applicants.Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.