Bihar students' ultimatum forces CM to issue notification
The Bihar government had to bow to students demanding timely conduct of the fourth phase of teacher recruitment exam (TRE-4).
Within an hour, the Bihar government had to concede to the students protesting for the timely conduct of the fourth phase of the Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-4). During the ongoing protest at the Gardanibagh protest site in Patna, the notification for TRE-4 teacher recruitment in Bihar has finally been issued. The Bihar Public Service Commission has released this recruitment exam notification, which candidates had been demanding for several months. Under this teacher recruitment, applications have been invited for a total of 32,388 posts. On Tuesday, thousands of candidates gathered in Patna regarding this issue, and pressure was being exerted on the government. Amidst the students' protest, this notification has been issued.
However, even after the notification has been issued, the students are not in the mood to end the agitation. The protesting students say,
They will leave the protest site only after the announcement of a single examination for the fourth phase of the Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-4). The protesting students are also demanding the resignation of Education Minister Mithilesh Kumar Tiwari.
It is noteworthy that the candidates protesting for the timely conduct of the fourth phase of the Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-4) had given the government an ultimatum to issue the notification within 24 hours on Tuesday. The candidates had warned that if their demand was not met, they could even gherao the residence of the state's Education Minister demanding his resignation. However, in the Gardanibagh area of Patna, researchers and candidates are protesting over several issues. These include new rules for the recruitment of assistant professors and alleged irregularities in the state's civil service examination.
The protesters are also demanding a single-tier examination in BPSC TRE-4, strict action against those who secured jobs through corrupt means, transparency in BSSC recruitments, and action against the examination mafia.
Under this recruitment process, a total of 32,388 teachers are expected to be appointed in government schools in Bihar. This includes 3,847 posts for classes 1 to 5, 8,563 posts for classes 6 to 8, 3,877 posts for classes 9 and 10, and 16,101 posts for classes 11 and 12. The Education Department had sent the requisition for these posts to the BPSC on July 29. The Chief Minister described it as an important step towards providing employment to the youth and strengthening the state's education system. Chaudhary also stated that the government is committed to creating more employment opportunities for the youth of Bihar.
However, sending the requisition was only a part of the recruitment process for the candidates. They were waiting for the formal advertisement from the BPSC, which was to provide information on eligibility conditions, application process, important dates, and selection process. The delay in issuing the advertisement had left candidates disappointed, who have been preparing to become government teachers for many months and, in some cases, many years.
This issue is particularly important for candidates facing the challenge of age limits and those under economic pressure due to long-term preparation for competitive exams. Earlier, Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari had indicated that the TRE-4 process would progress in July. He had also stated in the state assembly that the requisition would be sent to the BPSC in the same month. The hunger strike that began on Tuesday marks a new phase in the long-standing movement of teacher candidates. Previously, candidates had taken to the streets of Patna, demanding that the recruitment notification be issued without further delay.
During large protests against the delay in the recruitment process in May, police action was also taken. According to reports, student leader Dilip Kumar and three others were arrested, and cases were registered against about 5,000 unidentified protesters. At that time too, the protesters were demanding immediate clarification of the situation regarding the recruitment process.
The candidates' movement has not been limited to just demanding the issuance of the notification. Student representatives have previously demanded that the recruitment process be completed through a single examination and that clear information be provided regarding the number of vacant posts. In May, a delegation led by Dilip Kumar also met with former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and urged the government to issue the TRE-4 advertisement soon. The candidates told him that the repeated different phases and delays in recruitment were making the entire process lengthy and more difficult for the candidates.