Bihar schools get quality boost

The Bihar government has recently rolled out a suite of reforms aimed at elevating the quality of education across the state. In a major move, the Education Department has signed MoUs with nine private and non-governmental organisations to infuse innovation, technology and industry-oriented skills into curricula. Initiatives include training programmes for primary school teachers and headmasters, free online coaching for aspirants of competitive exams like JEE and NEET, student scholarships for higher education, and digital literacy drives for schoolchildren.

Among other measures, the state has removed the previous 75% attendance requirement for students to receive uniforms and bicycles: now, eligible students will get these benefits at the start of the academic session, regardless of attendance. Infrastructure improvement is also on the agenda: 29,000 government schools (classes 6‑8) will get computers.

Teacher recruitment and working conditions are being addressed. Bihar Cabinet has approved a domicile policy for teacher recruitment so that residents of Bihar receive priority in upcoming hiring rounds. The honorarium for health and physical education instructors in middle schools has been doubled. Efforts are also being made to allow teachers to be posted in their desired or nearby blocks.

While the reforms represent a significant investment in human capital and educational access, critics caution about implementation capacity, teacher availability, infrastructure readiness, and political timing. Still, if executed well, these changes could substantially narrow the gap between schooling and skill development in Bihar.