NEW DELHI: Police in India’s eastern Bihar state used sticks and water cannons and detained dozens of student protesters on Tuesday as they tried to march towards the governor’s residence, demanding the cancellation of a civil services recruitment examination over allegations of a question paper leak and other wrongdoing.
The Bihar Public Service Commission test is a highly competitive state-level examination held to recruit officers to the state administration.
The protests have erupted over the test conducted in December 2024. More than 300,000 candidates appeared for 2,000 positions that were filled in June, after two rounds of tests and an interview, local media reported.
VIDEO | BPSC exam row: Bihar Police detains protesters from Dak Bunglow Chauraha.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) pic.twitter.com/EWPVOvs8M6
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 25, 2026
Question paper leak in Bihar
The state government has previously denied allegations of a widespread question paper leak, but it did order a re-examination at one centre at the time.
Visuals from news agency ANI showed hundreds of protesters in state capital Patna breaking through police barricades before water was sprayed from a cannon to push them back.
Clashes at Bihar University: 2 Cops Injured
Students protesting over alleged result discrepancies at Bihar Health University turned violent on Tuesday. Aryabhatta University was vandalized, and two cops were injured in clashes. Police used force to restore order. #Bihar pic.twitter.com/f1gIu44xSd— Siddhant Anand (@JournoSiddhant) August 25, 2026
Visuals also showed protesters being hauled into a police bus that was driven away from the spot.
“The protest is now peaceful, and most of the demands have been met by the government,” senior police officer K.S. Anupam told Reuters.
Bihar:
Police uses water canon on students during protest near Gandhi maidan in Patna. pic.twitter.com/kPLXfA5ESj
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) August 25, 2026
Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari also said the government had addressed students’ demands, without giving more details, and added the door for dialogue remained “wide open”.
बिहार में लाठीचार्ज हुआ, वाटर कैनन का इस्तेमाल कर प्रदर्शनकारियों को हटाने की कोशिश भी हुई. लेकिन लोग अभी भी डटे. डाँक बंगला दो तरफ़ से घिरा. आगे क्या होगा इस पर हमारी नज़र बनी है. #BiharStudents #Bihar #Biharprotest pic.twitter.com/roVBKZe8Ln
— Nirbhay Singh Chauhan (@Nirbhayyy_singh) August 25, 2026
India has seen a rise in protest demonstrations over wrongdoing in tests since the weeks-long Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led youth protests forced the federal education minister’s resignation in July.
Also Read: Indian Police Used Excessive Force Against Youth Protesters: Amnesty
Similar protests in the neighbouring state of Jharkhand triggered the cancellation of civil service examinations there.
Also Read: India’s ‘Cockroach’ Movement Announces Another Protest in Fresh Challenge to Modi’s Govt
The CJP has announced a peaceful march in New Delhi next month to protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s failure to fulfil some promises made at the time, including withdrawal of police cases against protesters.
CJP announces fresh protest
India’s satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced a fresh protest march in New Delhi on September 5, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of failing to honour commitments made to young protesters after nationwide demonstrations in July.
The march will begin at India Gate and proceed towards the New Delhi Police Headquarters. The CJP said it would be led by families of deceased NEET candidates and victims of police brutality during the July protests.
Students, youth organisations and young people from across the country are expected to join, according to a statement issued by the group.
The group said the government had failed to fulfil commitments made on July 25, particularly those concerning the withdrawal of first information reports (FIRs) against students and protesters.
It said the continued delay had prompted its National Working Committee to resume peaceful mobilisation.
PRESS STATEMENT (Aug 24, 2026)
The Cockroach Janta Party strongly condemns the Union Government’s failure to honour the commitments made to India’s youth on July 25, particularly those concerning the withdrawal of FIRs against students and protesters.
With the Government… pic.twitter.com/YlmJJiYlqc
— Cockroach Janta Party – CJP (@Cockroachisback) August 24, 2026
Cockroach movement challenges Modi’s govt
The CJP began as an online satirical group but later became a prominent force in youth protests over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), India’s highly competitive medical college entrance examination.
The movement emerged in May 2026 after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant compared unemployed young people to “cockroaches”.
Student and political communications strategist Abhijeet Dipke subsequently turned the remark into the name of an online collective, which rapidly gained a large following.
The movement gained momentum after allegations of a leak involving the NEET examination. More than two million students had taken the test, while at least a dozen students reportedly died by suicide after learning that they might have to retake an examination for which they had prepared for years.
