Bihar: 5,000 booked, 4 held after teaching job aspirants protest delay in notifying recruitment exam

Patna: More than 5,000 people were booked and four arrested in connection with the protest by teaching job aspirants over the delay in notifying the BPSC TRE-4 examination, police said on Saturday.

The protest march, held on Friday, led to clashes with police after demonstrators attempted to breach barricades.

SP (City Central) Diksha said the situation turned tense during the initial phase of the protest.

"Students became aggressive, broke barricades, and engaged in confrontation with the police. Some protesters and police personnel were injured in the process. A case has been registered, and four named individuals have been arrested, while others are being identified for legal action," she said.

"After the initial confrontation, protesters were allowed to continue their demonstration peacefully," she added.

Police said traffic movement in several parts of the state capital remained disrupted for a considerable period, prompting the registration of the case.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari assured aspirants that the notification for the teacher recruitment examination would be issued soon and appealed to them to place their demands before the government in an organised manner.

"Protests against my department erupted the day I assumed charge as education minister. It seems a bit odd to me. I want to assure students that the government itself is willing to fulfil their demands. So where is the need for protest?" Tiwari told reporters.

On the arrests, the minister said, "The law has taken its course, but I have urged the chief minister to treat those who came forward with their demands as students." He said it was distressing for him to see future teachers running on the roads while being chased by police.

"We will soon find a solution to their problems," he added.

State Congress president Rajesh Ram accused the government of "brutally baton-charging" the aspirants instead of "listening to their legitimate demands".

"While lakhs of qualified aspirants were struggling on the streets for employment, the unemployed sons of three former chief ministers were being given ministerial posts," he quipped.

Ram was alluding to the inclusion of the sons of Nitish Kumar, Jitan Ram Manjhi and late Jagannath Mishra in the state cabinet.

While Kumar's son Nishant has been made the health minister, Manjhi's son Santosh Kumar Suman the minor water resources minister, and Mishra's son Nitish has been provided two portfolios -- IT and urban development & housing.

RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmad said the manner in which TRE-4 aspirants were "chased and beaten" with batons showed this government is not committed to providing employment, but rather snatching it.

"Police have booked 5,000 aspirants and arrested four. They are searching for protestors from the video footage, as if the aspirants committed some crime by demanding jobs," he said.

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Teacher Recruitment Exam (TRE) 4 to fill more than 46,000 posts was expected to be notified in April.