Librarian aspirants protest over recruitment delays

Patna: Candidates aspiring for librarian positions in the state took to the streets in Patna on Tuesday in a protest organised by the All Bihar Trained Librarians Association. The demonstration highlighted growing frustration over prolonged delays in the recruitment process for approximately 10,000 vacant librarian posts across schools (up to intermediate level), colleges, and universities.The protest march commenced at Patna University’s central library and proceeded to Kargil Chowk, near Gandhi Maidan. Demonstrators, carrying pillows, staged a symbolic sit-in protest by lying down on the road, emphasising their prolonged wait and uncertainty. They blew conch shells—a traditional call for attention—and raised anti-govt slogans while expressing deep discontent.To maintain law and order, police officers barricaded Kargil Chowk and deployed police forces, with water cannons kept on standby in case the situation escalated.

The protestors said that while the state govt issued the recruitment rules, no date was announced for the Library Eligibility Test (or equivalent qualifying examination).“This lack of a clear timeline has left thousands of trained and eligible candidates in limbo, despite the vacancies persisting for years—in some accounts, up to 17 years in certain contexts,” Prashant Kumar, a protestor, said.Harshit Raj, district president of the association, addressed the gathering and said that the march was a peaceful effort to convey the candidates’ long-standing demands directly to the govt.

He warned that if the exam date was not announced promptly, the movement would be intensified through further actions.“The impact of these unfilled positions is already evident in Bihar’s educational institutions. Library operations are severely hampered, with many facilities relying solely on Class III and Class IV employees to manage day-to-day tasks, leading to reduced services, limited access to resources, and challenges in supporting students’ academic needs,” said another protestor.