Jagannath University students protest proposed decentralization of teacher recruitment system

Students at Jagannath University staged a protest on Monday to oppose a reported government proposal to strip the Non-Government Teachers Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) of its recruitment powers and return the authority to institutional managing committees.

The demonstration began at the university’s open library premises, drawing participants from various academic departments alongside registered job seekers. The protesters marched through the campus and surrounding areas, including Shakhari Bazar and Johnson Road, before concluding with a rally back on campus.

Holding placards and chanting slogans such as “We demand meritocracy” and “We reject the committee system,” protesters argued that transferring hiring power back to local managing or governing bodies would undermine transparency and foster nepotism. They emphasized that the current centralized system has ensured recruitment based on qualification, merit, and standardized testing for years.

Many participants expressed deep concern that returning to the old system would jeopardize the careers of hundreds of thousands of registered candidates who have relied on the merit-based structure to enter the teaching profession. The protesters urged the Ministry of Education to reconsider what they termed a “hasty” decision, suggesting that any changes to the recruitment framework should only be made after comprehensive consultation with stakeholders.

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Sajjad Hossain, a student from the Department of Bengali, condemned the proposed policy shift, alleging that the move appears designed to favor specific interest groups rather than improve the educational system.

The demonstrators issued an ultimatum, calling for the immediate preservation of the NTRCA’s central recommendation system. They warned that if the government fails to address their demands and ensure the continuation of merit-based recruitment, they will initiate broader, more intensive protest programs.