After a question in the Bihar civil services examination about critically examining if the governor was a ‘puppet’ created widespread outrage, the person who set the question paper has been barred, reported the Indian Express.
The controversial question was listed in the General Knowledge paper of the main examination that read, “Critically examine the role of the Governor in state politics of India, especially in the context of Bihar. Is he just a puppet?”
As the question started doing the rounds, Bihar Public Service Commission or BPSC officers clarified that it had no hand in the setting questions for the paper. The officials, however, blamed the teacher who set the paper and added that there was nothing wrong with the question but words like “kathputli” could have been avoided. The commission later issued an apology.
At present, Bihar which is being ruled by a coalition led by Janata Dal (United) chief and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar along with the BJP, goes for assembly elections in 2020. During the 2000 Assembly elections in the state, Governor BC Pandey invited the Nitish Kumar-led NDA for government formation when the Rabri Devi-led RJD had won the majority to emerge as the single largest party. Kumar could not prove his majority and his government fell in seven days, paving the way for an RJD-Congress government, similar to what happened in Karnataka with Yedyurappa even as the political crisis continues.
In the year 2005, Governor Buta Singh suggested the dissolution of the House, ignoring claims made by the NDA and UPA who tried to form the government with the aid of an indecisive LJP. His recommendation was slammed by the Supreme Court and Bihar saw another election in the same year.
It is quite interesting to note that there was yet another question in the same exam that asked candidates to debate upon the pros and cons of a large number of political parties competing in an election. To be precise, the question was “Too many political parties is a bane of Indian politics. Explain this in the context of Bihar.”
The BPS entrance examination has three papers in mains which include General Hindi for 100 marks, General Studies Paper I and II for 300 marks each. In addition, an optional paper for 300 marks is also there. The BPSC had declared the results for preliminary examination in February 2019.
However, seeing that Bihar has a history of cringey moments in exams, it is not the first time that a question paper has raised eyebrows.
In 2017, a Class Eight exam paper in government schools in the state asked students to name what people from different countries are called. The “countries” given were China, England, Nepal, India and Kashmir. The government had expressed regret and said that the question was “embarrassing”. Expressing the regret as well, the BPSC then too had blacklisted the teacher who set the question.
