Nearly 1,856 TET-qualified candidates who cleared the 2024 TET-1 and TET-2 examinations pressed for immediate recruitment in Agartala today, while police action during their protest and the administration’s handling of recent former-militant demonstrations drew sharp reactions from netizens.
Key Takeaways
- Around 1,856 TET-1 and TET-2 qualifiers are seeking recruitment to GT and UGT posts after document verification.
- Police used water cannons and detained some protesters during Thursday’s demonstration near Siksha Bhavan.
- Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha said the government is working to fulfil the candidates’ demands and that the process will be completed soon.
The treatment of TET-qualified teacher aspirants during a protest near Siksha Bhavan today, on September 24, has sparked a wider debate on how the administration responds to different groups seeking to press their demands.
Social media users questioned the use of water cannons and detention against the job aspirants while pointing to the administration’s comparatively restrained approach during a recent agitation by former militants.
Police Action Draws Social Media Criticism
Police used water cannons to disperse the protesters who had gathered at Office Lane. Some demonstrators alleged that police personnel also manhandled protesters during the action.
A section of the protesters was detained and taken to the AD Nagar police lines.
The police action quickly became a subject of discussion on social media. Several users compared Thursday’s incident with the recent protests by former militants, who had blocked the national highway for nearly 48 hours and disrupted traffic movement.
The comparison focused on the different approaches adopted by the administration during the two protests. Social media users questioned why educated youths who had cleared a competitive examination and were demanding recruitment were being treated as troublemakers.
Some users also questioned why the administration appeared more accommodating towards former rebels who had previously led an armed rebellion against the state.
TET Aspirants Seek Recruitment
The protesters said they had cleared the TET-1 and TET-2 examinations in 2024. Authorities subsequently published a list of eligible candidates.
The candidates then applied for government-designated Graduate Teacher (GT) and Under-Graduate Teacher (UGT) posts.
According to the aspirants, document verification for around 1,856 applicants has already been completed. They alleged, however, that the recommended candidates’ appointment list has not yet been published.
The delay has become the central issue behind their continuing demand for recruitment.
The job aspirants said they had approached the Teachers Recruitment Board, Tripura (TRBT), several times. They sought an early conclusion to the recruitment process but claimed that their efforts had not produced a satisfactory response.
Demand for Appointment of All 1,856 Candidates
The protesters renewed their demand on Thursday while attempting to meet the TRBT chairman.
They maintained that all 1,856 candidates who cleared the 2024 TET-1 and TET-2 examinations should receive appointments together. They also opposed any further selection process for those candidates.
The aspirants further claimed that they had repeatedly sought meetings with Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy.
According to the protesters, they wanted to know whether the recruitment process had moved forward. They said they were yet to receive an affirmative response to their requests.
CM Says Recruitment Process Will Be Completed Soon
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha later addressed the issue during a media interaction.
Dr Saha said the protesting candidates did not need to resort to agitation because the government was already working to fulfil their demands.
“I have been keeping busy throughout the day for several events and I have come across what has happened. I want to tell the protestors that they don’t need to resort to such agitations and movements. The government is keen to fulfill their demands and instructions have already been passed. The process will be completed soon,” Dr Saha told reporters.
His statement came hours after the confrontation between police and the protesting TET-qualified aspirants.
TRBT Explains Recruitment Delay
TRBT Chairman Pratyosh Ranjan Deb also spoke to the media later in the afternoon.
Deb explained the reasons for the delay in completing the recruitment process. He said the recruitment board had made efforts to move the process forward despite the difficulties.
The protesters, however, continue to seek clarity on the timeline for appointments.
The dispute now centres on when the recruitment process for the 2024 TET-qualified candidates will reach its final stage and whether the government will proceed with appointments for the 1,856 candidates as demanded by the protesters.
