Aspirants of the 18th teacher registration exam blocked the road in front of the National Press Club today (22 June), demanding a review of the viva results published earlier this month.

From 10:00am, over 2,000 candidates from across the country began a sit-in protest, alleging discrimination and irregularities in the results announced by the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA).

Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the demonstrators claimed that nearly 23,000 candidates were unfairly failed despite giving correct answers during the viva. They accused the NTRCA of favouritism and termed the outcome “biased and politically motivated”, alleging that elements loyal to the previous fascist regime still remain in the authority.

Police used sound grenades and water cannons in an attempt to disperse the crowd, but the protesters remained defiant, vowing to continue their demonstration until their demands are met.

The NTRCA published the results of the 18th teacher registration exam on 4 June. A total of 81,209 candidates took part in the viva voce, of whom 60,521 passed.