Indian police use water cannon at new protest over test paper leaks

In Bihar, India, police deployed water cannons and arrested multiple demonstrators who attempted to march towards the governor's residence on Tuesday (August 25). The protesters were demanding the cancellation of a civil services recruitment examination due to allegations of leaked test question papers and other misconduct. This examination, administered by the Bihar Public Service Commission, is a fiercely competitive state-level test for recruiting officers into the state administration.

The protests began following the December 2024 exam. Over 300,000 candidates took part in the test, which yielded 2,000 positions filled in June after two rounds of exams and an interview. The state government had previously denied the allegations of a widespread question paper leak, but had ordered a re-examination at one center at that time.

Footage from ANI showed hundreds of protesters breaking through police barriers in the state capital, Patna, before water was sprayed from a cannon to disperse them. Protesters were also taken into a police van and driven away. A senior police officer, K.S. Anupam, told Reuters that the protest had become peaceful and most of the demands had been met by the government.

Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari also stated that the government had addressed students' demands, without providing more details, and confirmed that the door for dialogue was still open. India has witnessed an increase in demonstrations over alleged misconduct in tests since the weeks-long youth protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) forced the resignation of the federal education minister in July.

Similar protests in neighboring Jharkhand led to the cancellation of civil service exams there. The CJP has pledged a peaceful march in New Delhi next month to protest the federal government's failure to fulfill promises made during those demonstrations, including the withdrawal of police cases against protesters.