PATNA, Sept. 16 -- Central Patna turned into a virtual battleground on Tuesday as hundreds of agitated government job aspirants clashed with security personnel during a high-voltage protest march. Demanding the immediate scrapping of key competitive examinations, including BPSC and SI recruitments, over alleged irregularities, protesters broke security cordons, attempted to paralyse railway traffic, and marched toward high-security government zones. The demonstration began as a peaceful march from historic Patna Gandhi Maidan, heading toward the chief minister's official residence. Tensions, however, flared at JP Golambar when police tried to halt the advancing crowd. Waving the Tricolour, groups of demonstrators breached police barricades and scattered into arterial lanes, completely bypassing pre-arranged security perimeters. While one faction attempted to disrupt rail movement by swarming train tracks, other groups marched aggressively toward the Bihar Legislative Assembly and the CM's residence. The sudden chaos brought vehicular traffic to a standstill, leaving school buses stranded and blocking emergency routes. "Several protesters were detained from different locations after breaching prohibited areas," Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikeya K. Sharma said. Protesters entry into prohibited areas disrupted public order and essential services including movement of traffic, he added. Namrata, a Nawada native preparing for similar exams in the state capital, told HT that such irregularities not only destroy candidates' recruitment prospects but also plunge them into severe depression. Ravi Anand from West Champaran noted that exam irregularities and subsequent fallout hurt aspirants deeply, particularly when trying to explain the ordeal to their parents. It must be mentioned here that primary trigger behind the massive unrest is mounting anger over state recruitment procedures. The agitators are demanding the cancellation of the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) preliminary test alongside the Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission (BPSSC) recruitment drive for 1,799 sub-inspector posts, both of which they claim were compromised by widespread inconsistencies. Beyond exam cancellations, the candidates are calling for deep-rooted systemic overhauls. Their charter of demands includes scrapping contractual appointments within BPSC frameworks-specifically challenging the controversial 25% weightage rule-and establishing a strict schedule for recurring recruitments. Protesters emphasized that the state government must publish an official, transparent annual job calendar to eliminate chronic delays and allow candidates to prepare without recurring uncertainty....