Railways Candidates Torch Train In Gaya | Why Are Students Protesting?

A passenger train was torched on fire on Wednesday in Gaya as protests against the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) examination entered the third day in Bihar. However, no casualties were reported. Massive protests are being held against alleged anomalies in the tests conducted by the Railway Recruitment Board for the Non-Technical Popular Categories (RRB NTPC). 

Following the violent protest, that delayed the running of trains, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw urged the protesting students to remain calm. He further urged them to submit their demands formally and not destroy public property. “I request students that railway is your property, please do not destroy it. We will solve your problems. The results of the exams will be transparent and fair,” he said. 

Why are students protesting? 

The protest comes after the RRD conducted a two-tier examination and students allege that the notification in 2019 only mentioned one examination. The concern was raised after the results were declared on January 15. The students allege that it is unfair for students, who cleared the first half of the exam, to again appear for the second one. The Railways, however, had issued a clarification in which it said that the second stage exam was clearly mentioned in the notification.

The current recruitment for 35,281 vacant posts includes various posts in the categories of the junior clerk, train assistant, guard, time-keeper and station master.

As many as 1.25 crore candidates have applied for these jobs. In 2020, between April-July, the Railways held a computer-based common test, the results of which were declared on January 14, this year. The second round of exams, as per “graded difficulty” wherein every level will have a separate exam, was scheduled to start from February 15.

Students have alleged further alleged that this will minimalism the chances of candidates with lesser potential to crack the exam. They have also urged that cut-offs for a few examinations have been set too high. 

Where are the students protesting?

Large scale protests broke out on Monday in Patna as students blocked train routes in several places. Similarly, aspirants in large numbers tried to stop a train at Prayag railway station on Tuesday. The aspirants also claimed to have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and railway officials in this regard earlier. On Wednesday, the protests spread to parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where agitators set empty compartments on fire in Gaya junction. Protests were also reported from Patna, Nawada, Muzaffarpur, Buxar and Bhojpur districts of Bihar causing delay and cancellation of several trains. Many trains had to be rerouted. 

 

According to reports, demonstrations were also witnessed at Taregana, on the outskirts of Patna, and at Jehanabad in Bihar.

Agitating students burned an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on railway tracks in Jehanabad town and raised slogans against the government.

What is the government saying?

Following the mass protests, the Railway Ministry has said that those, who are found, indulging in violence will be debarred from getting a job in the Railways and termed unsuitable for government jobs as well. RRB NTPC protest videos will now be examined by the ministry with the help of specialised agencies.

To resolve the issue, the Railway Ministry has also set up a committee to accept the demands of the aspiring candidates.

"A high power committee has been formed to look into the concerns and doubts raised by candidates in regard to results of 1st Stage Computer Based Test (CBT) of Centralized Employment Notification (CEN) 01/2019 of Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) issued by Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs) on 14-15th January 2022," the railways said.

The notification further said that all Railway Recruitment Board chairpersons have been asked to listen to the concerns of the students, compile them and send them for review to the committee.

"An email address has been set up for this purpose. The committee will go to different parts of the country and listen to the grievances," the minister said.