By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The Bihar Education Department recently distributed appointment letters to 1.14 lakh special teachers and announced plans to reinstate successful candidates from the third phase of recruitment. However, the results for secondary and higher secondary positions in the third phase are yet to be declared. Meanwhile, the state’s guest teachers have urged the government to address their concerns, requesting just one opportunity to continue their service.
Kumar Sanjeev, President of the Guest Teachers Association of Bihar, highlighted their plight. He recalled that in 2018, when there was a significant shortage of teachers, guest teachers were appointed to bridge the gap. However, in March 2024, the government announced that the services of 4,257 guest teachers would no longer be required from 1 April. By then, the first and second phases of teacher recruitment had concluded.
In the initial phases, candidates benefited from a 10-year age relaxation, but this provision was removed for the third phase, capping the maximum age at 35 years. According to Sanjeev, the High Court granted guest teachers a weightage of 25 marks in the recruitment exam. However, this concession is moot as most guest teachers, now over 35 years old, are ineligible to sit for the exam.
“This decision has left us helpless,” Sanjeev said. “Where will teachers go at this age? Many of us can no longer support our families. When intermediate results were poor in Bihar, we worked diligently, which improved outcomes post-2018. Yet, our reward is unemployment.”
Sanjeev has appealed to all political parties and even approached the education minister, but his efforts have only yielded assurances. The minister reiterated the weightage of 25 marks but did not address the age barrier that prevents guest teachers from taking the exam.
Sanjeev emphasised that many higher secondary teacher posts from the first and second recruitment phases remain vacant. He urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to either allow guest teachers to participate in upcoming recruitment exams or appoint them to the vacant positions.
