December 6, 2024: Tensions flared in Patna on Friday as police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse hundreds of Bihar Civil Service aspirants protesting outside the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) office on Bailey Road. The protest was sparked by widespread rumours suggesting that the upcoming 70th Combined Preliminary Examination, scheduled for December 13, might undergo a "normalisation" process, which candidates argue could affect their chances unfairly.

Normalisation is a practice used to adjust for variations in difficulty between different exam shifts, but candidates have expressed concerns over its potential impact on their scores. The aspirants, who had gathered in large numbers, voiced their demand for the exam to be conducted without normalisation, as has been the practice in previous years.

Student leaders joined the demonstration, with many protesters arguing that normalisation is unnecessary since the exam is being conducted in a single shift across all centres. "There is no need for any additional calculations when all candidates are being tested under the same conditions," one of the protesters said.

In response to the growing unrest, Satya Prakash Sharma, Secretary of the BPSC, dismissed the rumours of normalisation as "baseless" and assured candidates that no such process would be applied. He clarified that the commission had not announced any plans for normalisation, stating, "If normalisation were to be applied, it would have been explicitly mentioned in the notification or through a separate notice."

Sharma went on to criticize the protesters, suggesting that those involved in the demonstration were not serious candidates. "Only about one per cent of candidates typically pass the exam, and those truly dedicated to their studies are not participating in these protests," he remarked.

The preliminary examination for the 70th BPSC Combined Examination is set to be held on December 13 at 925 centres across Bihar, with approximately 4.80 lakh candidates expected to appear. The admit cards for the examination were made available on the BPSC website on Friday.

While the BPSC has attempted to quell the concerns, the protests reflect a broader sentiment of unease among candidates, who are calling for greater transparency and clarity in the recruitment process. With the examination date fast approaching, the issue of normalisation remains a point of contention, as candidates continue to seek official assurance that the exam will proceed without any unexpected changes.