Bihar teacher recruitment row intensifies as govt announces only 26,000 vacancies 

Patna, Sep 22 (IANS) As political activity heats up ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, the controversy over the Bihar Public Service Commission teacher recruitment exam (TRE-4) shows no sign of easing.
 

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Bihar Education Minister Sunil Kumar announced that 26,000 teaching posts will be filled in this round.

"The vacancies will be sent to the BPSC within the next four to five days. Any remaining seats will be included in TRE-5," Minister Kumar said, adding that vacancies are determined subject-wise and based on number of student in schools.

The Minister insisted that 26,000 posts are not a small number, but candidates remain dissatisfied.

Many candidates are holding protests, accusing the Bihar government of backtracking on its earlier commitment of 1.2 lakh posts.

Minister Kumar also noted that roster clearance is still underway in two to three districts, after which the final list will be forwarded to the BPSC.

The standoff has become a major election issue, with protesting candidates demanding that the Nitish Kumar government honour its earlier promise of large-scale recruitment to address Bihar's acute teacher shortage.

On September 19, candidates marched from Patna College in heavy rain and attempted to surround Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence.

Police stopped the protesting candidates near JP Golambar in Patna, where they held a three-hour protest, raising slogans against the Bihar government.

Eventually, a delegation led by student leader Dilip met with the Additional Chief Secretary of the Education Department, B. Rajender, after which the protest was temporarily called off.

The candidates allege that the Bihar government is deliberately delaying the recruitment process, leaving lakhs of eligible youths unemployed.

"There is no option other than government employment in Bihar. The state government should fulfill its promise," protesters said, demanding the release of the 1.2 lakh vacancies.

Over the past month, police have lathi-charged protesters on multiple occasions, further fuelling anger among job aspirants.

With the Bihar Assembly elections approaching, the recruitment crisis has become a major political flashpoint, with opposition parties backing the protesting candidates and accusing the government of betraying Bihar's unemployed youth.

--IANS

ajk/khz