Patna: The row over the alleged question paper leak in a Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam seemed to be heading for an impasse with protesting students on Saturday rejecting the Patna district administration’s offer for talks with authorities in the commission and insisting on an appointment with chief minister Nitish Kumar.

In hardening of stance, Patna district magistrate (DM) Chandrasekhar Singh also said he would not allow the chatra sansad (students’ congregation) called by Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Sunday, and warned of action against coaching institute owners who were found to be involved, in any manner, in the protests henceforth.

Kishor on Saturday went to Gardani Bagh where BPSC aspirants have been staging a dharna for the last several days.

Addressing the protesters, Kishor said: “Before coming here, I had a long discussion with people from the education field. I must say that irregularities and paper leaks have now become the norm as far as BPSC exams are concerned. It can’t go on like this... We have to find a solution. That’s why we have decided to organise chatra sansad near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Gandhi Maidan in Patna tomorrow to find a solution to this issue.”

Speaking to PTI, Patna DM Singh said: “The district administration will not allow students to congregate near the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Gandhi Maidan... it’s a restricted area. Other events are also going on there. Adequate security personnel have been deployed in and around Gandhi Maidan. Strict action will be taken against those who try to take law into their hands tomorrow.”

Regarding the district administration’s offer to protesting students, Singh said: “The protesting aspirants have so far not made their stand clear. Earlier in the day, we gave them an offer for facilitating their meeting with the BPSC authorities so that they could put forth their grievances. They want to meet the chief minister in this regard... that can not happen as BPSC is an independent body and the government has no role to play in this.”

The candidates have been protesting for more than a week seeking the cancellation of the 70th Integrated Combined Competitive (Preliminary) Examination (CCE), 2024 conducted by the BPSC over allegations of question paper leak.