Bihar Teacher Recruitment Protest Continues As Aspirants Demand Changes To TRE-4

The agitation by Bihar teaching job aspirants, guest faculty members and PhD holders continued in Patna on Friday, with protesters refusing to call off their demonstrations despite the BPSC issuing the TRE-4 recruitment notification for 32,388 teaching posts.

The protests have been centred in Gardanibagh, where aspirants are demanding changes to the recruitment process and action on several long-pending issues. The Bihar Public Service Commission has announced that applications for TRE-4 will open on September 1 and remain open until September 30. However, protesters say the notification has not addressed their core concerns.

A major demand is that TRE-4 should continue with a single-tier examination, with candidates opposing proposals for a two-stage process involving a mains examination. Protesters have also demanded the removal of negative marking and greater transparency in government recruitment examinations.

The agitation has now widened beyond TRE-4. PhD scholars and researchers, who have been protesting for more than two weeks, are demanding implementation of UGC Regulation 2018 for assistant professor appointments, an increase in the maximum age limit for applicants to 55 years, regularisation of assistant professor recruitment and a domicile policy.

The PhD researchers have announced plans for a march to Lok Bhavan on August 22, adding another flashpoint to the ongoing agitation. One protester, Kumud Patel, has been on an indefinite hunger strike, with the protest entering its 18th day, according to reports.

The movement has also received political backing. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav visited the protesting students and job aspirants and extended support to their demands, saying his party would continue to stand with them and take to the streets again if required.

With thousands of vacancies finally notified but protesters still demanding changes to the examination system and recruitment policies, the Bihar government faces mounting pressure to find a resolution before the agitation escalates further.