Patna: The early morning fog hangs low over the narrow lanes of Patna's old quarters. The faint smell of damp earth mixes with the clatter of bicycles, bikes and the distant cries of street vendors opening their stalls. Rickshaws groan as they start their rounds and chai (tea) vapour drifts from street-side stalls.
Amidst this, 25-year-old Arvind Kumar (name changed) huddles on the worn steps of a shuttered tea stall, with his hands wrapped tightly around a battered backpack. Every few seconds, he peers down the lane, eyes flicking nervously as if expecting someone to emerge from the mist.
"I can't be seen... please, no one will know me here," he murmurs, his voice barely audible over the soft hum of the waking city.
He is one of the accused in the Teacher Recruitment Exam - 3 (TRE-3) paper leak case, which was abruptly cancelled on March 15, 2024. He spent three months in Beur Jail and now walks the streets cautiously, using a borrowed bicycle to keep a low profile.
"I was only a technical assistant, earning Rs 8,000 a month. Even small leaves meant a cut in salary. I got involved with those leaking papers because I had no other choice. Money was needed. Then I got caught. Jail was harsh, and reading about the lives ruined in the newspapers... I understood how wrong it all was," he confesses.
At the other end, 28-year-old Roshan Yadav is one of the 3.75 lakh candidates who appeared for the TRE-3 exam. He has spent years preparing, only to watch opportunity slip away.
"I have appeared in four exams that were later leaked. At 28, it's exhausting. I hoped PK Sir and Tejaswi would bring change, but who knows?" he says, sitting in a cramped Patna hostel room filled with stacks of reference books and scribbled notes.
In the city, 21-year-old Shalindi and 22-year-old Asmita share a common dread: if the government job does not come through, their families might pull them back for marriage. Priyanka moved from Buxar to Patna last year to prepare for police recruitment. Despite the fear of paper leaks, she rises at 4 am to study.
"We are used to early mornings in our villages. But in Patna, safety feels different. I trust (Chief Minister) Nitish Kumar's initiatives for students. I will vote for him," she says, her resolve visible in the set of her jaw.
Asmita has spent three years preparing for the physical tests of police constable recruitment. Her family gave her a strict two-year window. "We are girls. If exams are delayed or leaked, my parents will call me back. I do not want to become a housewife. I want a uniform," she says, jogging daily in Gandhi Maidan, Patna, practising for her physical tests.
The fear of paper leaks is not abstract. In Bihar, systemic failures have cost students years. Avinash, 24, qualified in TRE-2, only for the exam to be invalidated due to a leak. "Even if you are selected, you are never certain. Vacancies are few, and then the paper leaks. How long can you keep asking your family for money?" he asks.
Rohit, 27, moved to Patna aiming for a police constable post. The delay in exams frustrates him. "Every time, papers go out early. We work hard, but a few people with money get ahead. Families like mine cannot pay Rs 20-25 lakh. Three brothers, parents, five members and a meagre monthly income. How can we compete?" he says.
Political parties maintain their standard lines. JDU spokesperson Neeraj Singh says, "Only those who fail blame paper leaks. Seats and vacancies adjust with each recruitment cycle. TRE-4 and 5 will bring more opportunities."
The Congress, on the other hand, blames the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), among others. "When the Mahagathbandhan (the Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD, the Congress and Left parties combine) was in power, exams were corruption-free. Now young people are being forced to migrate. We will ensure transparent exams and opportunities for students," says an spokesperson of the grand old party.
Meanwhile, Dr Akhilesh Kumar, a long-time activist against paper leaks, warns of a generational anger brewing. "Paper leaks affect poor families the most. Government jobs are critical in Bihar. If youth voices are ignored, the backlash will hit the political establishment," he explains.
An educationist, who refused to be named, adds, "Paper leaks are not just a student problem. They expose corruption and system failure. In a state with limited industry, government jobs are often the only secure option. Leaks deprive poor families, hurt aspirations and demoralise entire households. The upcoming elections may reflect Gen Z's frustration, but it will not be aimed at any single party. It is against the system itself."
The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) is still investigating paper leaks. DIG Manavjit Singh Dhillon said that since 2012, 10 cases have been looked into and 545 people have been arrested. In 2024 alone, four papers were leaked, including TRE-2, where the exam was sold for just Rs 5,000. More than 1.22 lakh students had taken the exam, only to have it cancelled.
Ritesh says, "It is a vicious cycle. TRE-2 leaked, so I moved to police preparation. Exams keep changing phases and merit lists. One point, one number can decide your life. Many students take matters to court."
Lalit echoes, "Even if the government promises jobs before elections, we see delays. But some hope remains because opportunities are trickling in. But every time, it feels like a gamble, not a system."
Across Patna, the mood is tense. Students, hopeful but anxious, form the silent undercurrent of this election. Paper leaks, insufficient vacancies and political inaction have shaped a generation that is wary, ambitious and angry. The youth votes may not only reflect political allegiances, it may punish the system that failed them.