Bihar TRE-4 Row: Students Give Govt 24 Hours To Issue Exam Notification, Threaten Minister’s Residence Gherao

Patna: Students and job aspirants protesting in Patna’s Gardanibagh have given the Bihar government 24 hours to issue the notification for the fourth phase of the Teachers Recruitment Exam (TRE-4), warning of a possible gherao of the state education minister’s residence if their demand is not met.   

The protest, which includes research scholars and candidates, covers several issues linked to government recruitment and education policy. The protesters are seeking a single-tier examination for BPSC TRE-4, greater transparency in BSSC recruitments and strict action against people allegedly securing government jobs through corrupt practices. They have also demanded action against exam mafias and raised concerns over the new rules governing the recruitment of assistant professors.

‘Issue TRE-4 notification within 24 hours’

Student leader Dilip Kumar said the government must release the BPSC TRE-4 notification within the next 24 hours. If that does not happen, protesters may gherao the education minister’s residence and seek his resignation.

Kumar also warned that he would begin a hunger strike if the demand was not addressed within three days. The protest has already seen one participant, Kumud Patel, remain on hunger strike for the past 15 days.

Another student leader, Kundan Singh, said a delegation of protesters had met Higher Education Minister Sanjay Singh Tiger and Additional Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar. According to Singh, the officials did not provide answers to the questions raised by the students. 

He said the Bihar government should take note of recent student protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and in Jharkhand and act before the situation escalates. Singh argued that the presence of both teachers and students on the streets indicates serious concerns over the state’s education policy.

Jharkhand 24 Day Protest Ends 

The Bihar agitation comes on the same day as a major development in neighbouring Jharkhand, where three of six protesters on hunger strike over alleged recruitment exam irregularities ended their fast. The decision followed Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s announcement that the state government had decided to cancel all recruitment examinations conducted by outsourced agency TSR Data Processing Pvt Ltd (TDPL) since 2014, along with the results and selections arising from them. The move includes the JSSC-CGL examination.

Among those who ended their hunger strike was JLKM leader Devendra Mahto. The protesters said they would decide whether to withdraw the wider demonstration, which entered its 25th day on Tuesday, after assessing the government’s decision.

Protesters had planned CM residence gherao on August 20

Prior to the government's decision, Jharkhand protesters declared plans to gherao Chief Minister Hemant Soren's home on August 20 and invited students from throughout the state to meet in Ranchi. They also sought the Chief Minister's resignation, claiming that the JMM-Congress coalition had not taken concrete steps to address their concerns.

Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Champai Soren, praised the development, applauding the protesting students and hailing the outcome as a win earned during the first phase of their campaign.

With Bihar protesters now setting a 24-hour deadline for the TRE-4 announcement, the question is whether the state administration responds fast to their demands or risks an escalation of the movement in Patna.