Patna: Thousands of students marched through the streets of Patna on Thursday, calling on the Bihar government to implement a domicile policy for recruitment in state government jobs. The demonstration began at Patna College and proceeded through Muslepur Haat, Gopal Market, and Gandhi Maidan, culminating in a march towards the Chief Minister’s residence.
The protest, organised under the banner of the Bihar Student Union, is being led by student leader Dilip Kumar. Addressing the crowd, Dilip criticised the current recruitment practices, stating, “Biharis get lathi-charged and outsiders take the jobs. This cannot continue.”
The timing of the protest was symbolic, taking place on Sampoorna Kranti Diwas, the day commemorating Jayaprakash Narayan’s 1974 movement for total revolution. Holding placards and chanting slogans, the students demanded that Bihar follow other Indian states that have either formally or informally adopted domicile-based criteria in public employment.
Dilip argued that in the absence of significant industrial infrastructure, government jobs remain one of the few viable employment opportunities for Bihar’s youth. He highlighted that while the state government has announced a substantial number of vacancies, the influx of applicants from outside Bihar significantly reduces the chances of local candidates.
He also pointed to competitive examination patterns in other states that favour local students through state-specific syllabi, a strategy he believes has effectively shut out non-residents while boosting local employment.
The march remained peaceful at the time of reporting, though traffic movement in central Patna was heavily disrupted. Protesters insisted that their demands were not politically motivated but rooted in a growing frustration among Bihar’s unemployed youth.
The students have stated they will continue their agitation until the government takes a formal stand on the implementation of a domicile policy.
