The ongoing agitation of some students' organisations is proving costly for several seventh semester students, who are not being allowed to write their Patna University examination papers.

Patna College, the examination centre for College of Arts and Crafts students, on Tuesday turned into a battlefield with two groups of students exchanging blows. One group, led by the JDU students' wing Chhatra Samagam, was in favour of conducting the test; the other, led by the All India Students' Federation (AISF) members, was demanding cancellation of the test.

The AISF has been demanding the removal of College of Art and Crafts principal Chandrabhushan Srivastava over the suspension of eight students in April and action against Patna University vice-chancellor's bodyguard R.D. Paswan for firing on students in May.

In the tussle, students are missing out.

Pintu Kumar, a seventh semester student who had gone to write the test on Tuesday, said: "When I reached the examination venue on the Patna College campus, two groups of students were protesting against each other. Most students who were protesting at the spot were not from our college, barring a few associated with the AISF and the Chhatra Samagam. I tried to enter the examination hall but the crowd was huge. Later, the two groups of students started beating up each other, leaving examinees no option but to leave the spot."

Echoing Pintu, another student, lucky to have appeared for the test, said: "The brawl started around 10am. Sensing trouble, I had reached the examination centre at 9.15am and managed to enter the examination hall."

The examination was of the seventh semester bachelor of fine arts in which 15 of a total of 29 students took the test. Patna University proctor G.K. Pillai said: "It is very unfortunate that because of some students' protest, willing examinees cannot take the test. The university will look into the matter to ensure that students who missed the examination get another option to write the test."

In the group clash on Tuesday, many members from both the students' organisations were injured. The police also detained many students.

Patna University, particularly the College of Arts and Crafts, has become the nerve centre of students' protests over the past month.

On May 23, the vice-chancellor's bodyguard opened fire at AISF activists when they tried to forcibly enter the VC's official residence on the Patna College campus. The AISF members, along with other students' organisations, were protesting against the suspension of eight students of College of Arts and Crafts in April.

Trouble started at the College of Arts and Crafts on April 21, when a contractor working on the college campus allegedly beat up one of its students, Vishvendu Narayan Singh. Students have been alleging that the principal refused to take action against the contractor.