Thousands of Contractual School Teachers and Aspirants Protest in Patna, to Gherao MLA Residences

Patna: Amid the ongoing monsoon session of the Bihar Assembly, thousands of contractual school teachers and teaching job aspirants across Bihar took to the streets and staged a protest in Patna on Tuesday (July 11). They have tried to gherao Bihar Assembly as a part of their ongoing protest against the new recruitment rules, but heavy security forces deployed by the state government forcibly stopped the sloganeering protestors more than 500 metres away from the state Assembly’s main gate.

Meanwhile, sensing the mood of the protesting teachers and job aspirants to fight on the streets, Bihar Finance Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary told the media that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would talk to their representatives. Choudhary said the government is serious about their demands and hinted that it may consider them.

On Tuesday morning, agitating contractual teachers and job aspirants first assembled at Gardanibagh – a protest site in Patna, not far from the state Assembly premises.

They staged a dharna with posters, banners and placards in their hands. The demonstrators raised slogans against the state government for ignoring their demands and going ahead with the process of the teacher appointment. Later, they marched towards the Assembly to register their protest.

Contractual teachers are demanding the status of government employees without any condition, and the teaching job aspirants are demanding the implementation of a domicile policy in the recruitment process, which was recently removed.

The Bihar Assembly’s monsoon session began on Monday (July 10). The opposition BJP created a ruckus in the Assembly soon after it started on the second day, demanding the sacking of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who was chargesheeted in the land-for-job scam by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last week. T

The ruling Mahagathbabdhan dismissed the demands of the saffron party’s MLAs. However, when they disturbed proceedings, the House was adjourned till Wednesday 11 am by the Assembly Speaker.

Leaders of all associations of contractual teachers, including Bihar Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh (BMSS) and Bihar Rajya Prathmik Shikshak Sangh (BRPSS), two major associations of contractual teachers, have been leading the protesters.

Markandey Pathak, a leader of Bihar Rajya Sikhshak Sangharsh Morcha,

said the contractual teachers staged dharna on July 11 and will “gherao” the official residences of MLAs and MLCs on July 12. 

Shatrugan Singh, former Communist Party of India (CPI) MP and leader of BMSS, said that contractual teachers will not sit silent but protest peacefully for their rights.

Singh said government will have to filfill demands of teachers.

Singh said dozens of MLAs, MLCs and leaders of the ruling Mahagathbandan (Grandnew Alliance) and Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had supported the demands of protesting contractual teachers, but the government’s approach has been different.

Singh said a large number of contractual teachers from all over the state will gherao their local MLAs’ and MLCs’ residences in Patna with demand for the status of government employees.

BRPS leader Barajnandan Sharma said that contractual teachers associated with it have launched “Ghera Dalo-Dera Dalo” protests at the residences of all MLAs and MLCs on July 11, and it will continue till July 12.

“We are left with no option, as the state government neglects the genuine demand of contractual teachers. We will protest until government fulfil our demands, including the old pension scheme and government employee status to teachers,” another BRPS leader, Manoj Kumar, told NewsClick.

Last month, contractual teachers protesting against new recruitment rules decided not to fill out application forms for appointment as teachers without the status of government employees.

Contractual teachers are against going through another examination and are demanding the government give them the state government employee status without any condition.

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) notified the appointment of 1.70 lakh school teachers last month. Now, it has formally invited online applications from teacher aspirants for appointments from June 15 to July 12. The protesting teachers see this as a setback to their struggle.

Under the Bihar State School Teachers (appointment, transfer, disciplinary action and service condition) Rules, 2023, teachers are to be appointed under one standardised process and have status equivalent to state government employees with separate district cadres.

According to contractual teachers, candidates who cracked the Teacher’s Eligibility Test (TET) and were hired will likely have to retake a centralised BPSC exam.

In May, contractual teachers observed a ‘black day’, held phase-wise protest marches, dharna and burnt copies of the new rules across the state. Associations comprising more than 3.5 lakh contractual teachers joined to protest the new rules.

The Left parties - CPI(ML), CPI, CPI(M) -- allies of the ruling Grand Alliance in the state, have also questioned the new rules and are supporting the protesting teachers.

The BJP has criticised the state government for “imposing new rules on contractual teachers” and supporting the protesters.