A large number of STGT (Selection Test for Graduate Teachers) candidates staged a protest inside the premises of Shiksha Bhavan in Agartala on Friday, expressing strong resentment against the state government’s decision to initiate a new recruitment process without completing the previous one.

The agitating candidates demanded that the government immediately complete the recruitment process initiated in 2022. They alleged that although the STGT examination was held in September 2022, nearly three years have passed, yet the final results have not been published.

Speaking to reporters, one of the candidates claimed, “More than three years have passed since the STGT exam was conducted. The results are still pending, and there is no clarity from the government. Moreover, the recruitment was carried out without properly following the reservation policy, due to which a case was filed.”

Meanwhile, the candidates claimed that the government has since begun implementing the reservation policy in all other recruitment processes.

“We don't understand why the government is unable to apply the same reservation norms to the 2022 STGT recruitment. If other recruitments are being carried out as per the reservation policy, why is there a delay in our case?” questioned another candidate.

The candidates also referred to Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha’s recent statement in the Assembly, where he admitted that there are 1,400 STGT vacancies in the state. They alleged that instead of filling up the existing posts, the government is creating new vacancies under a fresh recruitment process.

The protesters demanded that over 700 newly created posts be filled only after completing the recruitment process of 2022, and called for the inclusion of 2022 pass-outs under the reservation framework. Several aspirants also expressed concern over their increasing age, warning that continued delays could jeopardize their eligibility.

“We are being pushed to the edge. If the results are not published immediately, we will be forced to approach the court again,” the candidates asserted.

Later in the day, the agitating candidates submitted a memorandum of their demands to the Director of the Education Department, NC Sharma.