Agartala, Sept 24: A group of candidates, who qualified the 2024 Teacher Eligibility Test (TET-1 and TET-2), held a protest near Shiksha Bhavan in Agartala demanding recruitment of all 1,856 successful aspirants.

The protesting aspirants gathered at the Education Department headquarters seeking clarity on the recruitment process and urging the authorities to initiate appointments without further delay. 

The agitators sought an opportunity to meet the concerned authorities, including the Chairman of the TRBT, to place their demands.

The situation escalated when police personnel applied water cannons to disperse the protesters. Several demonstrators were reportedly detained and taken away in police vehicles. Protesters and eyewitnesses alleged that some women participants were also pushed, knocked down and dragged towards the vehicles during the police action.

The candidates claimed that they had cleared the TET examinations and had been waiting for recruitment for nearly two years. They alleged that repeated efforts to draw the attention of the government had not resulted in a clear resolution of the issue.

According to the protesters, the government should clarify the status of the recruitment process and explain why appointments cannot be made against the available vacancies. They also maintained that Tripura’s shortage of teachers makes filling vacant posts an urgent requirement.

The aspirants further alleged that they were being warned of FIRs and legal action instead of being given an opportunity to discuss their concerns with the authorities. They maintained that their demand was limited to recruitment of candidates who had already qualified in the eligibility tests.

The prolonged wait, they said, has also created financial difficulties for many candidates and their families, with several aspirants having remained without regular employment while waiting for recruitment.

The protesters warned that failure to address their demands could lead to a broader agitation in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the police action against the protesting aspirants, particularly the use of water cannons and detention of demonstrators, drew sharp reactions from netizens on social media.