The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) declared the results for its 70th Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) Prelims on Thursday, amidst widespread protests over alleged irregularities in the examination process. Out of the 3,28,990 candidates who appeared, only 21,581 cleared the preliminary test, according to BPSC Examination Controller Rajesh Kumar Singh. However, the announcement has been marred by controversies, including claims of question paper leaks and allegations of an unfair evaluation system.
Results at a Glance
The 70th CCE Prelims saw a varied performance among the candidates:
- Total candidates appeared: 3,28,990
- Candidates cleared: 21,581
- Negative marks scored: 1,409 candidates
- Top score: 120 out of 150
- Candidates scoring above 100: 1,181
- Candidates scoring between 90 and 100: 6,344
Despite the massive pool of participants, only one candidate scored the highest marks, highlighting the challenging nature of the exam.
The exam has been scrutinised for alleged irregularities, leading to widespread protests across Bihar. One of the major controversies arose from a question paper leak that prompted a retest for over 12,000 candidates at a specific examination center in Patna.
Although the BPSC conducted the retest and published results, dissatisfaction among candidates remains high, with some petitioners seeking the cancellation of the December 13 exam in the Patna High Court. Ironically, three of these petitioners cleared the exam, adding another layer of complexity to the unfolding narrative.
In a press briefing, Rajesh Kumar Singh defended the integrity of the examination process, addressing allegations that the questions were overly simple. He pointed out several instances where a significant number of candidates gave incorrect answers to relatively straightforward questions:
- Olympic legislator Shreyasi Singh’s constituency: 1,70,485 candidates failed to correctly identify Jamui as her constituency.
- Takhat Sri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib location: 50,503 candidates incorrectly answered this question, even though it is located in Patna.
- Vishnupad Temple corridor scheme city: 1,49,973 candidates gave the wrong answer, with Gaya being the correct response.
- Under the current BPSC rules, candidates lose one mark for every three incorrect answers, contributing to the negative scores of over 1,400 participants.
The introduction of negative marking has been a contentious topic, with many arguing that it disproportionately penalizes candidates for errors. In this year’s exam, 1,409 candidates scored negative marks, a striking statistic highlighting the consequences of incorrect responses under the revised marking scheme.
Despite the controversies, the BPSC stands by the examination’s transparency and fairness. Singh reiterated that the commission has taken necessary steps to ensure a rigorous and impartial evaluation process. However, the protests and allegations surrounding the 70th CCE have raised questions about the effectiveness of current exam protocols and the need for potential reforms in future editions.
