Patna: PhD holders on an indefinite hunger strike for the past 19 days clashed with police during a Lok Bhavan March at R-Block on Saturday as they intensified their agitation against the state’s new recruitment rules and demanded implementation of UGC norms in assistant professor appointments and an increase in the upper age limit.Hundreds of protesters gathered near Veer Kunwar Singh Park and marched towards Lok Bhavan. Anticipating unrest, the administration deployed a heavy police force, erected double-layer barricades and positioned water cannons along the route. Protesters climbed the barricades and attempted to push through, triggering a confrontation with police.Kumud Patel, who has been on hunger strike for 19 days, arrived at the protest in a wheelchair and broke down while alleging that the govt wanted him to die.Police closed the route between Patna Junction and R-Block, while more than 100 personnel, along with magistrates, were deployed at key intersections up to Raj Bhavan to maintain law and order.After nearly 90 minutes of protest, a six-member delegation met officials at the chief minister’s secretariat and submitted a six-point memorandum. The delegation included Radheysham, Asif Ali, Kundan Kumar and Monu Kumar. Officials assured them that the demands would be conveyed to senior authorities for consideration. Some protesters dispersed after the meeting, while others were detained.The agitation received support from Chhatra-Yuva Sangharsh Morcha and members of NSUI, AISF, SFI, AISA, SSAI, ABSU, AIYF, DYFI, Youth Congress, The Great Bhim Army, Disha, Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha, Social Justice Army and The Socialist.AISF leader Sushil Kumar said the protesters were demanding completion of the ongoing assistant professor recruitment process, fixation of the upper age limit at 55 years, implementation of Table 3A of the UGC’s 2018 regulations, adjustment of guest teachers serving for years and introduction of a domicile policy in recruitments. He also demanded regular appointments instead of contractual hiring.Student leaders alleged that the BJP-led govt under chief minister Samrat Choudhary was weakening established universities in favour of private institutions and was attempting to introduce the proposed University Act 2026 to restructure the existing university system.Assistant guest professor Nitin Kumar claimed that guest teachers appointed initially for 11 months had continued serving for eight years and had helped stabilise the state’s higher education system. “Now they want to remove us,” he alleged.
