Protests Erupt in Patna as PhD Holders March Towards Lok Bhawan

Patna, August 23: PhD holders and researchers in Patna have been protesting for the past 18 days. On Saturday, they attempted to march towards Lok Bhawan to voice their demands.

Carrying the national flag, the demonstrators tried to move beyond their protest site. However, police intervened near the R Block area in Patna, setting up barricades to prevent their advance.

Members of the Bihar PhD Holders and Researchers Association have been staging an indefinite protest at Gardanibagh in Patna. Their concerns include higher education, job opportunities for qualified youth, and the academic future of researchers.

Police were already deployed, and barricades were erected to stop the protesters from moving forward. When the demonstrators attempted to cross the barricades, police officers stepped in to halt their progress towards Lok Bhawan.

Kumud Patel, the association’s coordinator, stated that this movement is about more than just a limited number of job positions. According to him, the protesters are demanding comprehensive reforms related to Bihar’s higher education system, job opportunities, and the rights and dignity of researchers.

Patel emphasized that this struggle is about determining the future direction of higher education in Bihar and ensuring better opportunities for future generations. He called on supporters of education, employment, and justice to join the movement.

The protesters argue that their demands extend beyond appointments. They are concerned about the broader academic environment and the future prospects of thousands of researchers and highly qualified youth in the state.

The protesting PhD holders and researchers have outlined several demands related to the recruitment and service conditions of assistant professors, as well as the overall functioning of higher education institutions.

They are calling for the implementation of UGC regulations from 2018 in the recruitment process for assistant professors, along with the application of Table 3A. Other demands include raising the age limit for assistant professor recruitment from 43 to 55 years, establishing a fair policy for the integration and regularization of long-term guest faculty, and ensuring timely recruitment for permanent assistant professor positions across universities in the state.

The protesters have made it clear that these measures are essential for improving the recruitment system, providing more opportunities for qualified researchers, and strengthening Bihar’s higher education sector. They have vowed to continue their movement until the state government takes concrete steps to address their demands.