RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav along with supporters stages a protest in Patna. (File)   |  Photo Credit: PTI
Patna, Bihar: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has asked its leaders to support student unions’ call for Bihar Bandh on Friday over alleged discrepancies in the Railway Recruitment Board’s examination process.
All Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) parties have extended their support to the bandh. The protests started in the state after several students claimed that there were discrepancies in the RRB recruitment process.
The government’s decision to conduct two computer-based tests (CBT) for the RRB Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) had irked thousands of students across the state who wanted a single test.
The RRB issued a notification for 35000 jobs in various posts in the Railways and NTPC in 2019 and also held an examination for them. Many students have passed the examination and are waiting for postings.
However, the RRB issued a fresh notification for another examination last week and also said that the students have to pass two examinations – preliminary and mains – in the future, which triggered outrage among the students in Bihar.
6 tutors among hundreds booked over violent protests
On Wednesday, the police registered a complaint against six teachers of coaching institutes in Patna and hundreds of students across Bihar for their violent protests over the railway recruitment exam.
In Jehanabad, protesting students burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on railway tracks and raised slogans against the Centre. The angry protest of the students affected the movement of several trains under East Central Zone, causing inconvenience to passengers.
Meanwhile, the Railway Ministry has said that it has considered “two key demands” of the protesting students.
Reaching out to protesters, the Railways announced a high-level committee, headed by Deepak Peter Gabriel, principal executive director of industrial relations in the ministry, to engage with them.