No normalisation plan, says secy as candidates protest at BPSC's Patna office
Patna (The Uttam Hindu):Hundreds of Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) 70th Combined Preliminary Examination candidates took to the streets of Patna on Friday, protesting against concerns over the possible implementation of the normalisation process in the upcoming tests. However, Secretary of the BPSC, clarified that the commission has not announced any plan for normalisation.
Supported by student leaders, the candidates demanded that the exam be conducted without normalisation, as has traditionally been the case. Protesters argue that normalisation is unnecessary, especially when the exam is being conducted in one shift across all centres. The demand is for the exam process to remain as it has been in the past, ensuring uniformity and fairness without additional calculations. Since a single set of questions is being used, candidates believe normalisation — a method often applied to adjust for variations in difficulty across multiple shifts — is irrelevant. Meanwhile, Satya Prakash Sharma, Secretary of BPSC, clarified that the commission has not announced any plan for normalisation.
“If normalisation were to be applied, the commission would have mentioned it explicitly in the notification or issued a separate notice,” Sharma said. He dismissed the protests as baseless, stating: "Why should the commission clarify regarding the misleading talks about normalisation? Those protesting are not serious candidates but individuals who do not focus on their studies." He emphasised that only one per cent of candidates typically pass, and those genuinely preparing for the exam are not involved in such demonstrations.
The preliminary examination for the 70th combined BPSC examination is scheduled on December 13, 2024, in a single shift across 925 centres across Bihar and around 4.80 lakh candidates are appearing in the examination. The admit card was released on the commission's website on Friday.
The protests highlight a broader concern among candidates about transparency and fairness in recruitment processes. While the commission has dismissed rumours about normalisation, the candidates are seeking official assurance to avoid any last-minute surprises that could affect their prospects. This growing unrest underscores the importance of clear communication between examining bodies and aspirants to ensure trust in competitive examination systems.
