Why Are Candidates Protesting Over Reduced Vacancies in Bihar TRE-4 Recruitment?

Patna, Sep 9 (NationPress) Tensions escalated during the ongoing teacher recruitment initiative in Bihar on Tuesday, as thousands of candidates gathered to protest the significant decrease in vacancies announced for the fourth phase of the Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-4).

Approximately 3,000 aspirants assembled at Patna College in the morning and initiated a march towards the residence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The protest route traversed through Khetan Market, Bakarganj, Gandhi Maidan, JP Golambar, and Dak Bungalow Square, effectively halting activities across parts of the city.

The demonstrators vocally demanded that the government issue a notification for 1.20 lakh teacher positions before September 15, as was previously promised.

They accused the government of reneging on its commitments.

The turning point occurred after Education Minister Sunil Kumar, in a statement on September 5, declared that only over 26,000 positions would be filled in this recruitment round.

This announcement ignited widespread outrage among candidates who had anticipated a much larger scale of recruitment.

Student leader Dilip Kumar asserted that the government’s fluctuating figures indicate a deeper issue.

“Before the domicile policy was implemented, the government inflated the numbers—sometimes to 50,000, sometimes 80,000, ultimately 1.20 lakh. But with the domicile rules now in force, the posts have been slashed to just 27,910. This is a betrayal of Bihar’s youth,” he claimed.

He further alleged that previously, higher vacancy figures were projected to lure candidates from other states, but now, following the domicile clause, the government has unjustly reduced the numbers.

Candidates remembered that both Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary had repeatedly assured the public of recruitment for 1.20 lakh teacher positions.

They now accuse the government of backtracking and breaking the trust of unemployed youth who have spent years preparing.

In the meantime, Bihar Education Minister Sunil Kumar addressed the controversy, affirming that the state government remains dedicated to conducting both TRE-4 and TRE-5.

“We have already clarified that there will be an examination for TRE-5 as well. Currently, the process is progressing according to the number of vacancies notified. So far, about 2.5 lakh teachers have been appointed through BPSC,” he stated.

With Assembly elections on the horizon, the teacher recruitment issue is poised to become politically charged.

Aspirants have warned of escalating their protests if the government fails to issue a fresh notification for the complete number of positions.