BPSC TRE-4 Protests Continue as Students Say Key Grievances Remain Unresolved

Even after the release of the TRE-4 notification, the agitation by candidates at Patna’s Gardanibagh has not ended. Students state that their demands were not limited merely to the issuance of the recruitment advertisement.

Bihar Student Protest: The long wait for the TRE-4 teacher recruitment exam in Bihar has finally ended. The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has released the notification for TRE-4. Under this recruitment drive, 32,388 teaching positions will be filled, and the online application process will commence on September 1, 2026. Candidates will be able to apply until September 30; however, the protest by candidates at Patna’s Gardanibagh continues despite the notification’s release. Students assert that their demands went beyond the mere issuance of an advertisement; they seek decisions from the government and the commission on several issues, including the exam pattern, negative marking, pending examinations, and transparency in the recruitment process. Pressing for these demands, candidates launched a ‘Nyay Satyagraha’ (protest for justice) at the Gardanibagh protest site on Tuesday.

Notification released, but protest continues.

While candidates have expressed happiness over the release of the TRE-4 notification, they maintain that not all their demands have been met. A primary demand of the protesting students is that the TRE-4 exam be conducted in a single phase. They argue that the previous teacher recruitment exam was held as a single-stage test and that this system should be maintained for TRE-4 as well. Candidates are also demanding the abolition of negative marking, arguing that there should be no provision for deducting marks for incorrect answers.

Demand for announcing dates for pending exams

The ongoing protest at Gardanibagh is not limited to TRE-4 alone. Demonstrators are also demanding the announcement of dates for pending examinations conducted by the Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC). Candidates point out that the schedule for several exams has remained unclear for a long time. Additionally, students have raised a demand to scrap the extra weightage currently granted to contractual employees in BSSC recruitments. They maintain that all candidates should be afforded equal opportunities during the recruitment process.

Demands regarding LET, BET, and AEDO

According to Dilip Kumar, President of the Bihar Student Union, the students’ demands include conducting the LET and BET exams and announcing the date for the BPSC AEDO examination. Students have demanded the timely conduct of various government recruitment exams and transparency in their scheduling. Protesters have also called for a transparent process in other competitive examinations, including those for Sub-Inspectors and Constables. The issue of discrimination against Hindi-speaking candidates was also raised during the agitation.

Recruitment for 32,388 teaching posts

According to the TRE-4 notification issued by the BPSC, recruitment is to be conducted for 32,388 teaching positions. These include posts at the primary, middle, secondary, and higher secondary levels. Online applications will commence on September 1, with the deadline set for September 30. Students state that while the release of the recruitment advertisement was a necessary step, it is equally important for the entire recruitment process—including the examination—to proceed on schedule. Notably, before the notification’s release, candidates had issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the government, warning that they would lay siege to the Education Minister’s residence and stage a hunger strike if their demands were not met. Amidst this, an indefinite Satyagraha (peaceful protest) was launched at Gardanibagh.