FIR against 5,000 TRE-4 aspirants after Patna protest over teacher recruitment delay

Bihar Police have registered a case against around 5,000 unidentified aspirants of the TRE-4 (Teacher Recruitment Examination) following clashes during a protest in Patna over delays in issuance of the next teacher recruitment notification by the Bihar Public Service Commission.

Police also arrested four people, including student leader Dilip Kumar, after Friday’s demonstration near the BPSC office turned violent.

The FIR was lodged at Gandhi Maidan Police Station based on a magistrate’s complaint alleging that protesters disrupted traffic, breached barricades, disturbed public order and misbehaved with police personnel deployed at the site.

The protest began with hundreds of teacher recruitment aspirants marching from Patna College towards the BPSC office demanding immediate release of the TRE-4 notification. Police had erected barricades near JP Golambar to stop the procession.

According to protesters, candidates were held back for nearly two hours before tensions escalated after some demonstrators allegedly attempted to push through the barricades. Police subsequently used force, including a lathicharge, to disperse the crowd. Several aspirants, including women candidates, reportedly sustained injuries during the action.

On Saturday, Dilip Kumar was taken into custody and brought to Gardanibagh Hospital for medical examination before being sent to Beur Jail along with three other aspirants after being produced before a court.

“Injustice is being done to students. We are demanding vacancies but are being sent to jail,” Kumar told reporters while being escorted by police.

Patna City SP (Central) Diksha said some protesters became aggressive during the demonstration and attempted to break barricades, leading to confrontation with police.

“During the incident, there was pushing and mild lathicharge. Some police personnel were also injured,” the officer said.

She added that separate cases had also been registered over damage to barricades and clashes with police personnel.

Meanwhile, newly appointed Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari appealed to aspirants to remain patient and acknowledged delays in the TRE-4 recruitment process.

“It is possible there has been some delay in TRE-4, and I accept that. But seeing future teachers on the streets and police chasing them is a painful sight for me,” Tiwari said.

The minister described the aspirants as “members of our family” and said the government remained open to discussions with students regarding their demands.

He also indicated that the state intended to move forward with the recruitment process soon.

Over the past two years, Bihar has recruited around 2.27 lakh teachers through TRE-1, TRE-2 and TRE-3, while nearly 3 lakh contractual teachers have reportedly secured state employee status after clearing competency examinations.