Patna, Apr 14 (IANS): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar clarified on Friday that school teachers who are already employed will remain on their posts but they cannot be the employees of the state government.

The Chief Minister also said that the teachers who will be recruited through the new guidelines will be the employees of the state government, and be given handsome salaries, dearness allowance and other facilities.

Under the new Bihar State School Teachers (appointment, transfer, disciplinary action and service condition) Rules, 2023, all school teachers will be appointed via one standardised process and have status equivalent to state government employees.

After the state government gave its nod to the new rules rules, contractual teachers are protesting against them, claiming that those currently employed in schools and candidates who have cleared the teacher's eligibility test (TET) will likely have to appear for a centralised exam to be conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).

While addressing an event held in Patna to mark the 132nd birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, Nitish Kumar said: "Aspiring teachers who are agitating over the teacher recruitment guidelines are doing the wrong thing. We will recruit more than two lakh teachers this year and the process will start soon.

"The teachers who will be appointed under the new guidelines will be permanent state government employees. They will avail all the facilities, including handsome salaries, DA and other facilities.

"On the other hand, around four lakh teachers who were recruited in the past will remain on their posts, but they will cease to be state government employees. They were appointed through Panchayati Raj Institutions and the state government will give them salaries," Kumar said.