Tension gripped Patna as candidates demanding the release of vacancies for the fourth phase of the Bihar Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-4) geared up for a protest. Prior to the demonstration, police detained several student leaders, including Rinkle Yadav and Khushboo Pathak. Rinkle Yadav, who had contested in the Patna University Students’ Union elections, was taken into custody before the protest began.
Khushboo Pathak was also reportedly detained by police near Bihta while en route from Arrah to Patna to join the protest. A heavy police presence was deployed around Patna College and surrounding areas in anticipation of the student protest. Water cannons were stationed at the site as a precautionary measure.
Candidates had planned a symbolic protest using metal plates and rolling pins, but they were prevented from gathering inside Patna College as the main gate was locked. More than 50 student leaders and aspirants were detained by the police, according to candidates participating in the agitation.
A Patna Town DSP mentioned that examinations were scheduled at various university faculties, necessitating additional police deployment to maintain law and order. He confirmed that several individuals were detained but assured that no injuries were reported. Teacher aspirants alleged that despite assurances, the Bihar government has not issued the official notification for TRE-4 recruitment.
Student leader Bikesh Bhatt claimed that thousands of teaching posts in Bihar schools remain vacant, with the recruitment process facing continuous delays for over two-and-a-half years. Candidates highlighted that the examination was initially expected in August 2025, and though an earlier announcement was made before the Assembly elections, the process stalled.
They also noted that the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Examination Controller had mentioned in a recent podcast that the application process would start on April 25, but no official advertisement has been released yet. Bihar Education Minister, Mithilesh Tiwari, urged students to remain patient, promising that the recruitment notification would be issued soon.
Tiwari alleged that outsiders were trying to disrupt the process and emphasized that such attempts would not be allowed to succeed. He had taken charge as Education Minister on May 8 and had requested 10 days from protesting candidates to consider their demands. The TRE-4 recruitment aims to fill around 46,882 teaching posts across Bihar.
