Indian youth clash with police in Bihar demanding jobs, exam reforms

PATNA, August 26 — Hundreds of Indian students and jobless youth clashed with police as they marched towards the residence of the state's chief minister in Bihar, demanding employment opportunities and transparency in recruitment exams. The demonstration took place in Patna, the capital of Bihar, which is home to approximately 130 million people. Police officers deployed water cannons as a few thousand protestors breached security barriers in the region.

This incident followed a series of massive youth-led protests in New Delhi that led to the removal of India's education minister over alleged irregularities in conducting crucial competitive examinations. Local media reported demonstrators in Patna demanding access to government positions, the cancellation of a significant recruitment test, and modifications to the announcement of examination formats by the government.

Patna police superintendent Kartikeya K Sharma stated that police would identify those involved in throwing stones at officers and take appropriate action. The protests originated last week with unemployed youth seeking jobs but later broadened to include calls for educational reform. Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary assured that his office was "listening to every student's voice," adding that the government would launch the "Student Support Camp" to promptly address students' concerns, complaints, and suggestions.

The highly competitive job market in India makes government positions, known for their long-term stability, highly sought after by millions. Following the New Delhi protests organized by the online Cockroach Janta Party, similar demonstrations have emerged in other states challenging both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition parties.

In Karnataka's southern region, members of a BJP-linked student body staged a protest near the state chief minister's residence due to alleged irregularities in recruitment for government jobs, with visuals from the Press Trust of India showing police forcefully dispersing demonstrators.