In a significant announcement for the education sector, Bihar's State Education Minister, Sunil Kumar, declared on Monday that the formal requisition for the appointment of school teachers through the Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE)-4 will be forwarded to the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) by mid-January.
Timeline for TRE-4 and Past Recruitment Success
Minister Kumar, addressing the media in Patna, provided a clear deadline for the long-awaited process. The requisition will be sent to the BPSC between January 10 and 14, 2024. He acknowledged a delay of three to four months, attributing it to the involvement of concerned officials in the recent assembly elections. "Now the roster is cleared, and we will certainly send the requisition," he assured.
The minister highlighted the state's substantial track record in teacher appointments, showcasing it as a model for others. So far, a total of 2,27,195 teachers have been appointed in government schools across three phases via the BPSC. Furthermore, the commission has facilitated the appointment of 28,748 principal teachers and 4,699 school principals.
New Hiring Drives: Librarians and Special Educators
Beyond the TRE-4, the state government has unveiled plans for two other major recruitment drives to strengthen the educational framework.
Firstly, the government will appoint 5,500 librarians across Bihar. "We are moving towards the digital age. The appointment of librarians was not made for quite a long time," Kumar stated. The requisition for these posts will be sent once the roster is cleared and a competency test is completed.
Secondly, a requisition for 7,000 'special teachers' dedicated to differently-abled children has already been dispatched. The minister emphasized the government's duty to care for these children. These appointed special educators will receive specialized training through the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) and the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).
Vision for Advanced Education and 'Saat Nischay-3'
Minister Kumar reiterated the government's commitment to providing quality, accessible, equitable, and inclusive education for all in Bihar. He connected this mission to the state's glorious past as a 'land of knowledge', home to ancient universities like Nalanda and Vikramshila.
The current objective is to fulfil the 4th resolve of 'Saat Nischay-3' – 'Advanced Education-Bright Future'. Key initiatives under this resolve include:
- The establishment of a separate Higher Education Department.
- Developing old and prestigious institutions into "centres of excellence".
- Building a new "education city" in the state.
- Opening one model school and one degree college in every block of Bihar.
The press conference was also attended by senior officials including Additional Chief Secretary B. Rajender, Secretary Dinesh Kumar, Director of Higher Education N.K. Agarwal, and Director (Administration) Manoranjan Kumar.
