TET protesters at Shiksha Bhavan face Water Cannons, demand recruitment of 1,856 qualified candidates

The simmering discontent among unemployed youths who cleared the Teacher Eligibility Tests (TET‑1 and TET‑2) in 2024 erupted again on Thursday as they staged a protest at Shiksha Bhavan in Agartala, demanding immediate recruitment of all 1,856 successful candidates.

The demonstration, aimed at pressing the JRBT Board Chairman for answers, turned tense when police deployed water cannons and detained several protesters, with eyewitnesses alleging that women were knocked down and dragged into police vehicles.

The aspirants said they have been waiting for government employment for nearly two years despite clearing the examinations. They accused the administration of ignoring repeated attempts to meet Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha and Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, leaving them without any opportunity for dialogue.

One protester lamented: “We passed the TET and have been waiting for jobs for a long time. It is almost the end of 2026, but there is still no clarity on our recruitment.”

Candidates alleged that instead of receiving explanations from the Education Department, they were threatened with FIRs and legal cases that could jeopardise their careers. They insisted their demand is straightforward: the government must explain why all qualified candidates cannot be recruited together and take steps to fill the posts without further delay.

The protesters emphasised that the acute shortage of teachers in Tripura makes simultaneous recruitment both feasible and necessary. They warned that if the government fails to act, they will escalate their agitation into a larger statewide movement in the coming days.

For many of the aspirants, the delay has become a matter of survival. Families dependent on the promised jobs are struggling financially, and frustration is mounting as months of waiting have yielded no progress.