Agartala, Feb 24: Tension prevailed in Agartala on Tuesday as TET I and TET II qualified candidates were detained by police while protesting for recruitment. The candidates were later taken to AD Nagar Police Ground.
The protestors had gathered to meet the Director of Education, demanding that all qualified candidates be recruited by increasing the number of vacant posts. However, they were stopped on the way and informed that the Director was unavailable.
Failing to secure any response, the candidates proceeded towards the Finance Department to place their demands before the minister. Police intercepted them near IGM Chowmuhani and prevented them from moving ahead. As the protest intensified, several candidates were detained and shifted to AD Nagar.
The agitating candidates alleged that the recently published recruitment notification does not reflect the actual number of vacancies in schools. As per the notification, 1,020 posts have been earmarked for TET II and 1,033 for TET I. However, they claimed that after category-wise distribution, the effective number of posts would be significantly lower.
One of the protestors stated that while around 1,488 candidates have qualified in TET II, only about 800 posts are likely to be filled, leaving a large number of qualified candidates without jobs.
They further claimed, citing RTI information, that nearly 4,000 teaching posts are lying vacant in the state. “If there are so many vacancies, why is the number of advertised posts so low?” a protestor questioned, adding that schools across the state continue to face teacher shortages.
The candidates demanded that the government increase the number of vacancies and recruit all TET-qualified candidates in one go while maintaining the reservation policy.
Another protestor raised concerns over candidates who have become overaged, alleging that many are unable to apply due to age restrictions and technical issues in the application portal. He appealed to the government to provide relaxation and ensure that eligible candidates are not left out.
The protestors also referred to earlier assurances by the Chief Minister regarding recruitment, urging the government to fulfill its commitment.
They warned that the agitation would continue until their demands are met.
