Police in Bihar used water cannons and batons as a few thousand protesters broke through security barricades in the state capital, Patna, on August 25, 2026. The protesters, consisting of Indian students and unemployed youth, marched towards the residence of the chief minister, demanding access to jobs and transparency in recruitment exams.
Videos reported by Al Jazeera showed the clashes, which occurred a month after significant Gen Z protests in New Delhi that called for the resignation of India's education minister due to alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. The resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 25 was viewed as a political setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration.
Local police reported detaining at least 25 protesters during the Patna demonstrations, later releasing them. Authorities accused some protesters of attacking security personnel, with Patna Police Superintendent Kartikeya K Sharma stating that police would identify those involved in stone pelting and take action.
The protests, which began last week, initially focused on job demands but expanded to include calls for education reform. Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary indicated that his office was attentive to student concerns. A delegation of student representatives met with Bihar's top bureaucrat, Pratyaya Amrit, who described the discussion as positive and assured a favorable response within a few days.
The competitive job market in India makes government positions, which provide long-term stability, highly sought after. Following the protests in New Delhi, similar demonstrations have occurred in other states, including Karnataka, where a BJP-linked student body protested alleged recruitment irregularities.
Bihar's regional Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari stated that the government had addressed students' demands, though details were not provided, and emphasized that the door for dialogue remains open. The Cockroach movement in New Delhi has also announced plans for a march next month to protest the Modi government's perceived failures, including the withdrawal of police cases against protesters.