Students of the All PhD Holders and Research Association in Bihar have called off their 21-day hunger strike in Patna's Gardanibagh after reaching an agreement with Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.) on several of their demands. The decision came after a nearly two-hour meeting between the protesting students and the Bihar Governor on Monday evening. It was agreed that a committee would be constituted within 15 days to examine the students' demands and recommend necessary changes. The committee will include prominent educationists from Bihar as well as administrators with experience in the education sector. It will be constituted by the Governor after consultation with the Chief Minister.
One of the key points agreed upon during the meeting was that no regular or contractual recruitment of assistant professors would be carried out under the Assistant Professor Recruitment Regulations, 2026, until the rules are amended after considering the association's major demands. The 2026 regulations will remain suspended until the review process is completed and the necessary amendments are made.
Committee to examine key demands of PhD holders
The committee will primarily examine several demands related to the recruitment process for assistant professors. The protesting students have demanded that the maximum age limit for assistant professor recruitment be fixed at 55 years. They have also sought a written examination for recruitment, but want it to be objective in nature.
Under the proposal discussed during the meeting, candidates who clear the written examination would have their Academic Performance Indicator (API), scores calculated. Marks obtained in the written examination and API would then be combined to prepare a consolidated merit list. Candidates would be shortlisted for interviews based on this merit list. The interview process would also include a teaching demonstration.
Changes sought in API calculation
The committee will also consider several demands related to the calculation of API scores. According to the points agreed upon, the students have sought the exclusion of Class 10 and Class 12 marks from API calculations.
They have also demanded that the weightage for NET and JRF be kept at up to 11 points, while the weightage for a PhD should not be reduced below 30 points. The calculation of research publications and teaching or professional experience would also be included in the API score. However, the students have sought clear definitions for research publications and experience so that there is no ambiguity and the system cannot be misused.
Demands concerning guest assistant professors
The committee will also consider the demands raised by the protesting students concerning guest assistant professors. The students have demanded that guest assistant professors be provided the minimum pay scale along with dearness allowance, similar to the contractual assistant professors who have recently been appointed.
They have also sought a uniform renewal process for guest assistant professors across all universities in Bihar. Another demand is that the academic certificates, research papers and experience of guest assistant professors should be properly verified. After such verification, they should be allowed to continue working until the age of 65, according to the proposal.
Students seek gradual reduction in maximum age limit
The protesting students also suggested that any reduction in the maximum age limit for assistant professor recruitment should not be implemented abruptly. Instead, they proposed that the age limit be reduced gradually. During this transition period, assistant professor recruitment should continue every year against available vacancies. The proposal will also be considered by the committee.
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