Patna, August 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
PhD holders and research scholars protesting in Patna for the past 18 days marched towards the Lok Bhawan on Saturday to press the Bihar government to address their demands, but were stopped by police near the R-Block area.
Carrying the Tricolour, members of the All PhD Holders and Research Scholars Association of Bihar attempted to move from their protest site in Gardanibagh towards Lok Bhawan. Police had already deployed personnel and erected barricades along the route.
When the protesters tried to cross the barricades, police intervened and prevented them from proceeding further.
Association Convener Kumud Patel, who is on an indefinite hunger strike, said the agitation was not limited to recruitment against a few posts but concerned broader issues affecting higher education, employment opportunities for qualified youth and the rights of research scholars.
Patel said the movement was aimed at determining the future direction of higher education in Bihar and creating better opportunities for the coming generations. He appealed to people supporting education, employment and justice to join the agitation.
The protesters have raised several demands concerning the recruitment and service conditions of Assistant Professors and the functioning of higher education institutions.
They are seeking implementation of the UGC Regulations, 2018, along with Table 3A, in Assistant Professor recruitment, besides increasing the upper age limit for such recruitment from 43 to 55 years.
The association has also demanded a fair policy for the service integration and regularisation of long-serving guest faculty, a clear and legally sustainable domicile policy for Assistant Professor recruitment, and regular, time-bound recruitment to permanent Assistant Professor posts in universities across Bihar.
The protesters have further called for protection of the academic autonomy of universities and colleges.
They said the proposed measures would improve the recruitment system, expand opportunities for qualified researchers and strengthen Bihar’s higher education sector.
The protesters have said the indefinite agitation will continue until the state government takes concrete steps to address their demands.
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