Patna, State Bureau | March 18, 2025
On Tuesday, during the question hour and discussions in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, Education Minister Sunil Kumar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made several significant announcements and clarified the government’s stance on various issues. Topics ranged from the Seventh and Eighth Pay Commissions, teacher recruitment, vacancies in universities, violations of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, teachers’ pending salaries, to water supply projects. Amid questions and protests from the opposition, the government outlined concrete steps in both the Assembly and the Legislative Council.
Seventh and Eighth Pay Commissions: Committee Awaited for Teachers
Education Minister Sunil Kumar, responding to a call attention motion, stated that the Finance Department has not agreed to grant grade pay and level determination to teachers under the Seventh Pay Commission. He clarified that the matter would be considered only after the formation of a fitment committee for the Eighth Pay Commission, following which recommendations would be sent to the Finance Department. MLA Ajay Kumar raised the issue, pointing out that while employees in other government departments receive basic pay along with grade pay and levels under the Seventh Pay Commission, teachers selected through BPSC’s TRE-1, TRE-2, TRE-3, and competency-exam-qualified special teachers are denied these benefits. The minister explained that these teachers are paid under a separate employment framework: Rs 25,000 for classes 1 to 5, Rs 28,000 for classes 6 to 8, Rs 31,000 for classes 9 to 10, and Rs 32,000 for classes 11 to 12, distinct from the Seventh Pay Commission structure. However, these teachers are receiving Employee Provident Fund (EPF) benefits and a 15% salary hike.
University Vacancies: Information in a Month, Appointments Soon
Responding to Khajauli MLA Arun Shankar Prasad, the Education Minister announced that details of vacant non-teaching staff positions in universities would be provided to the department within a month. Subsequently, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) will be tasked with recruitment. The MLA highlighted that out of 16,000 sanctioned posts for non-teaching staff in universities and colleges, only 5,700 are currently filled, with vacancies increasing rapidly due to retirements. The minister noted that universities had previously submitted a list, but it contained errors, which are now being rectified. Additionally, meetings with university vice-chancellors have been held to expedite the recruitment of assistant professors and non-teaching staff, with appointments to be made through the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) and SSC, respectively.
RTE Violations: Action Against Schools Announced
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar declared strict action against private schools failing to comply with the Right to Education (RTE) Act. Darbhanga Rural MLA Lalit Kumar Yadav raised the issue, stating that many private schools, including DPS Patna and DY Patil International School, are not enrolling children from disadvantaged and weaker sections as mandated. The RTE requires each school to admit 10 children from these categories in Class 1 annually, yet several schools report zero compliance. Amid opposition protests, the Chief Minister urged, “Submit your concerns in writing; action will be taken if necessary.” He directed Education Minister Sunil Kumar to conduct a thorough investigation. The minister admitted that RTE enrollment is below target and said district education officers have been instructed to seek explanations from non-compliant schools. He added that some students are enrolled in both government and private schools, prompting the initiation of Aadhaar seeding to address the issue.
Teacher Recruitment: Phase 4 to Begin in May, No Supplementary Result for Phase 3
In response to MLA Arun Kumar’s query, the Education Minister announced that the fourth phase (TRE-4) of teacher recruitment through BPSC will commence in May 2025. Vacancies left unfilled from the third phase will also be included. The Education Department is calculating additional vacant posts, paving the way for a fifth phase later. However, he clarified that there is no immediate plan to release a supplementary result for the third phase.
Teachers’ Pending Salaries: Payment Within Seven Days
Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Samrat Chaudhary announced in the Legislative Council that teachers, who have not received salaries for four months, will be paid within seven days. During zero hour, members including Sanjeev Kumar Singh raised concerns, noting that despite Holi passing and Eid approaching, teachers are facing financial distress. Chaudhary attributed the delay to glitches in the Centralized Financial Management System (CFMS), which have been reviewed. Efforts are underway to ensure such issues do not recur in the future.
Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal: Rs 7,166 Crore Projects Inaugurated
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated and laid the foundation for water supply projects and structures worth Rs 7,166.06 crore under the ‘Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal’ scheme. This included the foundation stone for the Public Health Engineering Department’s headquarters building, costing Rs 83 crore. The event took place at ‘Sankalp’ on 1 Anne Marg in Patna, attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, Public Health Engineering Minister Niraj Kumar Singh, and senior officials.
Class 9 Exams from March 19, Answer Sheet Evaluation Begins Today
The Bihar School Examination Board will commence the annual Class 9 exams on March 19, continuing until March 25. The exams will be held in two shifts: 9:30 AM to 12:45 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM, starting with Mathematics and Social Science on the first day. Meanwhile, the evaluation of answer sheets for Classes 1 to 8 will begin on Wednesday at the panchayat level, targeting the assessment of 7 million students’ copies by March 26.
MLAs Return to School Committees, Rs 494 Crore for Madarsas
The Education Minister informed the Assembly that the system of appointing MLAs and MLCs as chairpersons of school management committees has been restored. Additionally, Rs 494 crore has been allocated for improving the infrastructure of madarsas.
Training Centers for Artists, No Insurance or Pension Plans
In response to BJP MLA Vijay Kumar Khemka, the Minister for Art, Culture, and Youth announced that Amrapali training centers will be established in all districts to train artists. Financial assistance is provided for medical care to fourth-grade artists, but there are no plans for insurance or pensions.
Conclusion
Tuesday’s sessions in the Bihar Legislative Assembly and Council focused on education, employment, and infrastructure development. The government assured action on teachers’ salaries, recruitment, and RTE enforcement while addressing opposition concerns. These announcements signal significant steps toward strengthening the state’s education system and overall development framework.
