In a significant development for job seekers in Bihar, the state government has announced the imminent commencement of the next phase of teacher recruitment. Education Minister Sunil Kumar declared that the process for the Teacher Recruitment Exam-4 (TRE-4) will be initiated soon, with the formal requisition set to be sent to the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) by the middle of January.
TRE-4 Timeline and Process
Addressing reporters in Patna, Minister Sunil Kumar provided a clear timeline for the upcoming recruitment drive. The roster clearance and official requisition for TRE-4 will be dispatched to the BPSC between January 15 and January 20. This step is crucial as it formally requests the commission to begin the examination process for filling numerous teaching positions across the state. The minister assured that the government is committed to expediting the appointments through this new round.
Context of Past Recruitment Drives
The announcement for TRE-4 comes against the backdrop of previous recruitment cycles. Historical data reveals the scale of Bihar's teacher hiring initiatives. In the first Teacher Recruitment Exam (TRE-1), the state successfully appointed a substantial 1.70 lakh teachers. This was followed by TRE-2, which led to the recruitment of 70,000 educators.
The most recent cycle, TRE-3, aimed to fill 87,774 vacancies. However, the process faced challenges, and only a portion of these posts could be occupied. The incomplete fulfillment of TRE-3 allocations had previously sparked protests across the state, especially in the period leading up to the Bihar assembly elections, highlighting the public demand for these government jobs.
Parallel Recruitment and Protests
Coinciding with the minister's press conference, a separate protest unfolded nearby. Engineering job aspirants gathered outside a secretariat building in Patna to voice their opposition against a specific provision in government hiring. Their grievance centers on the policy of awarding bonus marks to contractual employees in competitive exams.
Protestors argued that in exams like the BPSC Assistant Engineer (AE) recruitment, eligible contractual workers receive 133 bonus marks in a 400-mark paper. They claim this system unfairly disadvantages fresh candidates. The demonstrators demanded the repeal of what they termed a "black law," underscoring the ongoing debates around recruitment fairness in Bihar's public sector.
In a related development, the state Education Department has also forwarded requisitions to the BPSC for other critical positions. These include the recruitment of 935 Assistant Education Development Officers and 7,279 teachers for special schools, indicating a broader push to strengthen the educational framework.
The Critical Role of Teachers
Emphasizing the importance of the initiative, Minister Kumar stated that the role of teachers has always been vital and continues to be so. He remarked that in today's context, it is more critical than ever to have a robust and qualified teaching workforce to shape the future of the state's youth. The TRE-4 drive is seen as a key step in addressing the persistent vacancy issue and enhancing the quality of education in Bihar.
As the January deadline approaches, lakhs of aspirants will be awaiting the official notification from the BPSC, hoping for an opportunity to secure a position in the state's education sector.
