‘Hathi chale bazaar…’: BPSC controller’s remark amid Bihar teachers’ protests sparks row

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) recently rejected several key demands from protesting job aspirants, clarifying that negative marking would not be removed from its objective examinations. All examinations would henceforth be conducted in at least two stages. This clarification was overshadowed by a remark made by the examination controller, Rajesh Kumar Singh, who quoted the Hindi proverb, "Hathi chale bazaar, kutta bhaunke hazar," while responding to questions about the protests.

Critics, including RJD National Working President Tejashwi Yadav, accused Singh of describing protesting students as "dogs," prompting a backlash on social media. Singh later clarified that the quote was taken out of context, expressing regret if anyone was offended. The controversy unfolded as students in Patna’s Gardanibagh protested over various demands, including the proposed examination pattern for the fourth Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-4), since August 18.

Meanwhile, a group of PhD scholars had vowed to end their 21-day hunger strike following an agreement with the Bihar Governor over their key demands. The Governor assured the students that their concerns regarding the 2026 Assistant Professor Recruitment Regulations would be addressed, with the regulations temporarily on hold while amendments were made.

The All PhD Holders and Research Association, one of several groups holding protests in Patna’s Gardanibagh, had called off its strike, but other protests continued. The BPSC's examination system, Singh noted, was not unique to Bihar, citing examples from other public service commissions such as UPSC, UPPSC, Gujarat, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.

All objective examinations conducted by the BPSC would include negative marking, which Singh argued was essential to prevent candidates from guessing answers and benefiting from inadequate preparation. The controller also denied allegations of discrimination against Hindi-medium candidates, stating that evaluations were based on answer quality, not language.

The Commission rejected claims that marks above 60% could not be awarded, asserting no such prohibition existed. The Commission also addressed allegations surrounding a high-ranking candidate’s answer sheet, which had circulated on social media, appearing blank. The BPSC clarified that the viral copy was "completely fake." Applicants for TRE-4 could submit applications from September 1 to September 30, with the examination likely to occur in December or January, depending on the number of applicants.