TGT-PGT recruitment candidates protest in Prayagraj

Candidates for Trained Graduate Teacher (TGT) and Post Graduate Teacher (PGT) positions in Uttar Pradesh are engaged in an intensifying protest in Prayagraj. The demonstration, now entering its 18th day, centers on opposition to new recruitment rules implemented by the new Education Service Selection Commission.

Protesters are demanding that examinations be conducted under the previous regulatory framework and pattern. A primary point of contention is a new requirement for a minimum of 50 percent marks in graduation, which applicants claim could disqualify approximately 700,000 to 800,000 candidates who completed their degrees years ago under different standards.

The situation has become increasingly volatile. Demonstrators have engaged in hunger strikes, with some lying on the ground covered in shrouds to symbolize their desperation. The protest follows the tragic death of a candidate, Vijay Bahadur, reportedly due to mental stress and a stroke. While students claim to have received verbal assurances from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, they are demanding written guarantees to ensure their demands are met. The Directorate of Education has been placed under heavy police and PAC security as students continue to protest against the closure of the facility's gates.