Ph.D HOLDERS AND RESEARCH SCHOLARS PROTESTED

Ph.D HOLDERS AND RESEARCH SCHOLARS PROTESTED

2-JULY-ENG 3

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------Today in Ara, under the banner of the *All Ph.D. Holders & Research Scholars Association of Bihar*, Ph.D. holders and research scholars staged a vigorous protest at the old campus of Veer Kunwar Singh University in Katira (Ara). Led by Dr. Sandeep Thakur, the protest focused on key demands regarding the recruitment of Assistant Professors. During the demonstration, effigies of the Chief Minister and the Higher Education Minister were burned in opposition to the new recruitment regulations.

The Association stated that the sudden implementation of new regulations for Assistant Professor recruitment is an injustice to the futures of thousands of Ph.D. holders and research scholars. Candidates had spent years preparing based on the old regulations—considering factors such as API/Academic Scores, Ph.D. qualifications, research paper publications, seminars, conferences, teaching experience, and academic achievements. Consequently, applying new rules to the current recruitment process undermines years of their hard work, time, and financial investment.

The protesters presented five key demands to the government:

(1) The current Assistant Professor recruitment process should be conducted based on the old regulations.

(2) Instruction in all subjects must be ensured across the 211 new degree colleges.

(3) The upper age limit should be set to at least 55 years, in accordance with UGC norms.

(4) Ph.D. holders should be given significant preference over NET/JRF candidates, with an allocation of 30 API score points as per the old regulations.

(5) A domicile policy should be implemented in the interest of candidates from Bihar.

The protesters further argued that prioritizing candidates lacking a Ph.D. or research experience in higher education would adversely affect research supervision and the overall research culture. In the future, such teachers might require government funding, study leave, and extended academic exemptions to pursue a Ph.D., which would disrupt teaching activities.

The Association warned the government that if a positive decision regarding the demands of research scholars and Ph.D. holders is not taken promptly, the agitation would be expanded into a state-wide movement. Kumud Patel, Jyoti Kumar, Sushil Tiger, Chandan Tiwari, Monu Yadav, Krishna Tiwari, Chhotu Singh, Raj Pandey, Sandeep Thakur, Aneesh Kumar, Saif Akhtar, Chandan Tiwari, Nishant Kumar, Rajan Kumar, Amitabh Kumar, KD Yadav, Ratnesh Kumar.