Tripura TET-qualified aspirants faced water cannons and detention during a recruitment protest in Agartala, triggering criticism on social media. The 1,856 candidates are demanding appointments after clearing the 2024 TET-1 and TET-2 examinations and completing document verification.
The use of water cannons and detention of TET-qualified job aspirants during a protest at Shiksha Bhavan in Agartala has triggered sharp reactions on social media, with several users questioning the manner in which the protesting candidates were handled. The aspirants, who cleared the 2024 Teacher Eligibility Test (TET)-1 and TET-2 examinations, are seeking immediate recruitment to government teaching posts.
The protest on Thursday, September 24, centred on the demand for the recruitment of 1,856 TET-qualified candidates. According to the protesters, they had completed the required application and document-verification stages but were still waiting for the recommendation and appointment process to move forward. Reports from multiple local news outlets confirmed that police deployed water cannons and detained a number of protesters during the demonstration.
The incident became a subject of wider discussion online, particularly over the contrast between the treatment of the TET aspirants and the administration’s handling of other recent protests in the state. Some social media users questioned whether young people demanding employment after qualifying a competitive examination should have been subjected to such police action.
The criticism also followed a recent 72-hour blockade by organisations representing surrendered former insurgents. The groups had blocked portions of the Assam-Agartala National Highway and disrupted railway movement while pressing for implementation of commitments linked to the peace accord. Reports said the blockade brought traffic movement to a virtual standstill at several locations.
The comparison between the two incidents was raised by social media users, who questioned the differing administrative responses to protest movements. These reactions were expressed as public opinion online rather than as an official finding about the conduct of either group.
During Thursday’s TET protest, the aspirants had gathered at Shiksha Bhavan and sought to meet the concerned recruitment authority. They demanded clarity on the recruitment timeline and publication of the recommendation or merit list. According to reports, the candidates maintained that document verification for around 1,856 applicants had already been completed.
The candidates said they had cleared TET-1 and TET-2 in 2024 and subsequently applied for recruitment against government-designated Graduate Teacher (GT) and Under-Graduate Teacher (UGT) posts. They have repeatedly approached the Teachers Recruitment Board, Tripura (TRBT), seeking an early conclusion to the recruitment process.
The aspirants have also demanded that all 1,856 eligible candidates be appointed together, without another selection process. They have argued that the recruitment process has already taken considerable time and that further delay is creating uncertainty for candidates who have been waiting for government employment.
The police, meanwhile, provided a different account of Thursday’s action. According to a statement attributed to Sadar SDPO Panna Lal Sen, police had intelligence inputs regarding the possibility of a cognisable offence during the protest and used water cannons to clear the busy Office Lane after other measures did not resolve the situation. Reports also said that around 100 demonstrators were taken to the AD Nagar Police Lines.
The police action nevertheless became the immediate focus of criticism among the protesters and sections of the public. Some protesters alleged that they were manhandled during the dispersal and that several participants, including women, were pushed or dragged towards police vehicles. These allegations were made by protesters and were not independently established in the available reports.
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha later addressed the issue during a media interaction. He said the government was already working on the recruitment demand and asked the candidates not to resort to agitation. According to reports, the Chief Minister said instructions had already been issued and that the process would be completed soon.
The Chief Minister had also earlier appealed to TET-qualified candidates to stay away from protests, stating that the government was monitoring the matter and that eligible candidates would receive what was due to them.
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TRBT Chairman Pratyosh Ranjan Deb also spoke to the media after Thursday’s developments and explained the recruitment delay from the board’s perspective. He said the recruitment board had made efforts to advance the process despite difficulties. The candidates, however, continue to seek a clear timeline for the completion of recruitment.
The issue now remains focused on the completion of the recruitment process for the 2024 TET-qualified candidates. While the government has indicated that the process will be completed soon, the protesting aspirants are demanding concrete action and appointment-related clarity for the 1,856 candidates.
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The confrontation at Shiksha Bhavan has therefore brought renewed attention to the long-pending recruitment demand, the use of police measures during job-related protests and the need for a clear communication channel between the authorities and TET-qualified candidates.
