High drama unfolded in Nangal today after a youth climbed a nearly 100-foot-high BSNL tower near NFL Chowk to protest against the government’s alleged move to cancel an old teacher recruitment examination and conduct a fresh test. The areas falls in the home constituency of minister for education and local government, Harjot Singh Bains.The protesting youth was identified as Harjeet Singh, a resident of Barnala district. According to sources, he had climbed the tower during the night and remained perched atop it for several hours, drawing the attention of local residents and authorities.Harjeet Singh reportedly appeared for a teacher recruitment examination around four years ago along with several other candidates. The protesting candidates have alleged that the government is now considering scrapping the earlier recruitment process and holding a fresh examination, a move they strongly oppose.Harjeet Singh has demanded that candidates who had already appeared in the previous examination should be recruited on the basis of that process itself and that the test should not be cancelled.As news of the incident spread, officials from the police and civil administration rushed to the spot. Police personnel remained deployed around the tower while continuous efforts were made to persuade the youth to descend safely.The situation turned tense as a large crowd gathered near the tower, with many people trying to witness the dramatic protest. The area around NFL Chowk remained under close monitoring by the administration to avoid any untoward incident.Considering the seriousness of the matter, Nangal Tehsildar Major (retd) Sumit Dhillon personally climbed the tower in an attempt to counsel the youth and convince him to come down. The Tehsildar spent considerable time speaking with Harjeet Singh and assuring him that his concerns would be conveyed to higher authorities.Despite repeated appeals from the administration, the protesting youth remained adamant and refused to climb down till the filing of this report.Officials of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited also reached the site to assess the situation. According to BSNL General Manager Vikas Sehgal, the youth was sitting at a height of nearly 100 feet on the tower, making the rescue and negotiation efforts highly sensitive.“The Tehsildar is trying to counsel and convince him, but the youth is still adamant,” Sehgal said.The incident triggered concern among local residents, while police officials continued to maintain vigil at the site. Senior officials said every effort was being made to ensure the youth’s safe rescue through dialogue and persuasion rather than force.The administration was continuing negotiations with the protester late into the evening as anxious onlookers waited for a peaceful resolution to the dramatic standoff.