AROUND 500 to 600 Class-2 (Middle School) and Class-3 (Primary School) teacher recruitment candidates have converged at Neelam Park in Bhopal, marking their reportedly 13th major sit-in protest over the past year. The demonstrators, who previously marched from the Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI) near Chetak Bridge, declared that their patience has completely run out after months of unfulfilled promises regarding post increases in the 2025 recruitment drive. The protest was launched on August 21 and on 22 a protesting candidate Narendra Rajput sat on Hunger strike. PROTESTER ENTER 40TH HOUR OF WATERLESS FAST AMID UNMET DEMANDS: The intensity of the agitation escalated sharply as protestor Narendra Rajput entered his 40th hour of a strict waterless hunger strike (Nirjal strike). Demonstrators expressed deep frustration that despite clearing eligibility exams, seat allocations remain ‘abysmally low’. Woman candidates and protestors have framed their appeal around Raksha Bandhan, urging Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav to offer additional vacancies as a festival gift - specifically demanding 25,000 vacant posts for Class-3 positions and 3,000 posts per subject for Class-2 roles. YEAR-LONG STRUGGLE YIELDS ASSURANCES, BUT ZERO ACTION:Highlighting the long-standing nature of their grievance, protest spokesperson Vivek Agarwal stated that candidates have been actively protesting for an entire year.

 

"This is our 13th sit-in protest with the exact same demand for a rise in vacancy numbers," Agarwal noted. He revealed that while state ministers have completely avoided direct talks with the candidates, the DPI Commissioner has repeatedly given assurances to look into the matter—yet no concrete steps or official policy changes have materialized to date. ESCALATING HISTORY OF AGITATION AND UNRESOLVED DEMANDS: This round of demonstrations builds on an intense, ninemonth campaign that saw thousands of candidates protesting across Bhopal on multiple dates, including November 17, 2025, and several demonstrations throughout early to mid-2026. Aspirants recalled past extreme measures—such as shaving their heads, burning marksheets, writing letters in blood, and facing police force near Polytechnic Square during an April rally. Having already submitted over a dozen memorandums to top officials including CM Dr. Mohan Yadav, School Education Minister Rao Uday Pratap Singh, and Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar, the educators affirmed that the Neelam Park sit-in will continue indefinitely until the government officially expands the recruitment quota.