Supreme Court Declines Petition Against BPSC 70th Exam, Directs Petitioner to Patna High Court

The SC bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar, and Justice KV Vishvanathan emphasized that the Supreme Court cannot serve as the court of first instance, especially as no prior plea has been filed at the High Court.

The Supreme Court on January 7, 2025, refused to entertain a writ petition challenging the 70th Combined Competitive Exams (Preliminary) conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) over alleged paper leaks. The Apex Court advised the petitioner to approach the Patna High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution for relief.

The bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar, and Justice KV Vishvanathan emphasized that the Supreme Court cannot serve as the court of first instance, especially as no prior plea has been filed at the High Court.

CJI’s Statement on Jurisdiction

Chief Justice Khanna noted during the hearing, “It will be appropriate and more expeditious that the petitioner approaches the Patna High Court by way of a petition under Article 226. We therefore refuse to entertain the present writ petition,” as reported by LiveLaw.

The plea, filed by Anand Legal Aid Forum Trust, sought cancellation of the exam and the formation of a special inquiry board to investigate alleged malpractices. Petitioner’s counsel, Abhijit Anand, highlighted recurring issues of paper leaks in national-level exams, saying, “This has become a routine, the manner in which paper leaks are happening.”

BPSC Exam: Allegations and Protests

The controversy stems from the preliminary exams conducted on December 13, 2024, across 900 centers, with over 5 lakh candidates participating. Allegations surfaced that questions were identical to model papers from coaching institutes, sparking protests led by Jan Suraaj Party leader Prashant Kishore, who began an indefinite hunger strike on January 2, 2025.

Protestors have criticized BPSC’s decision to conduct a re-test for only 12,000 candidates from the Bapu Examination Complex, where the alleged leak occurred. They are demanding cancellation of the entire exam, citing fairness and transparency concerns.

Protestors’ Demands

Candidates protesting at Gardanibagh Dharna Sthal have listed the following demands:

Cancellation and re-conduct of the 70th Preliminary Examination.

A transparent investigation into the alleged malpractices.

Implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for competitive exams.

Exclusion of candidates’ names from FIRs related to the paper leak.

BPSC’s Stand

The Bihar Public Service Commission has denied allegations of irregularities and reaffirmed its decision to conduct a limited re-exam on January 4, 2025. The Commission also rejected demands for normalization, asserting the fairness of its approach. The Supreme Court’s direction to approach the Patna High Court brings the legal battle to a regional platform, where the petitioners are expected to challenge the BPSC’s stance and seek redress for the alleged malpractices. Meanwhile, protests by affected candidates continue, reflecting growing frustration over examination irregularities in India.

Read More:

• BPSC Exam Controversy: Bihar Bandh Called as Protests Escalate, Students Gain Political Support
• BPSC Exam Update: SFI Delhi Protests Alleged Paper Leak, Commission Denies Exam Cancellation