PATNA, July 27 -- Bihar education minister Mithilesh Tiwari on Sunday announced that online applications for the transfer of government school teachers will begin from July 29. He also confirmed that the formal requisition for the much-awaited fourth phase of the teacher recruitment examination (TRE-4) will be sent to the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) by July 27. Speaking to reporters in Patna, Tiwari said the advertisement for TRE-4 is likely to be issued in August, with the aim of filling a large number of vacant teaching posts across the state. The transfer process will operate under the newly notified Bihar state teacher transfer rules, 2026. According to the minister, the entire exercise will be conducted online in a transparent manner and will include adjustment, mutual and general transfers. The policy is understood to formalise transfers every five years, a move expected to bring more stability and fairness for the teaching community. Tiwari emphasised the government's resolve to tackle teacher shortages on a sustained basis. The steps announced Sunday are part of a larger plan to recruit nearly one lakh teachers over the next five years, with recruitment notifications to be issued annually in July to avoid prolonged delays. The announcements have been eagerly awaited by both in-service teachers hoping for transfers and lakhs of aspirants who have been pressing for the TRE-4 notification. The fourth phase of recruitment had seen repeated delays, sparking protests by candidates in the past. Reacting to the development, a student leader Dilip Kumar cautioned that the advertisement must be released by the end of July, warning that failure to do so would raise questions about accountability. Education department officials are presently assessing school-wise requirements as groundwork for the fresh recruitments. More details regarding the exact number of vacancies and the examination schedule are expected in the coming days....