Bihar govt agrees to single-stage TRE-4 exam; protesters call off stir

The Bihar government has agreed to hold the fourth Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-4) as a single-stage test, a key demand of student protesters who have now decided to call off their 10-day agitation.

Following a meeting with senior Education Department officials, a delegation of 13 student representatives unanimously agreed to withdraw the stir. The decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by the Secretary of the Education Department.

The government accepted the demand for conducting TRE-4 through a single examination instead of separate prelims and mains. On the issue of "one candidate, one result," officials said further action would be taken as per applicable rules. Protesters had sought this policy to prevent seat wastage, where high-scoring candidates occupying multiple positions leave vacancies behind when taking up only one job.

Several other demands were also addressed. Issues related to the 70th BPSC examination, BSSC recruitment, sub-inspector recruitment, and the Bihar Eligibility Test (BET) will be placed before a committee to be constituted under the chairmanship of a Patna High Court judge. The committee will examine complaints and suggestions, with further action based on its recommendations.

The government also decided that the BSSC would issue a recruitment calendar at the earliest. The sub-inspector recruitment process for 1,799 posts will proceed only after the committee submits its report. On librarian recruitment, officials agreed to initiate action based on available vacancies.

A high-level committee will examine the demand for weightage to contractual employees in recruitment processes. On the domicile policy, further action will be taken in line with legal advice. The maximum age limit demand will also go before the committee.

Participants expressed a unanimous commitment to transparency and fairness in all competitive examinations. The agreement came amid heightened tension in Patna, where students had been protesting at Gardanibagh since August 18. Earlier on Thursday, some students reached the Education Minister's residence, prompting a large police deployment. The protest had intensified earlier this week when police used water cannons to disperse marchers near the Chief Minister's residence.

The agitation centred primarily on the TRE-4 exam pattern and broader recruitment-related reforms, including issues concerning BPSC, BSSC, domicile-based appointments, age limits, and librarian recruitment.