For Only 20% School Attendance, Bihar Spends A Whopping ₹54,000 Crores A Year

Bihar often finds itself at the centre of internet humour, becoming a go-to punchline for those looking to spark virality on social media.

Simply tagging a funny video with the word “Bihar” is often enough to guarantee clicks and shares, reflecting a deeper, albeit troubling, cultural trend.

At the heart of this phenomenon lies the state’s troubled education system — a topic that invites both questionable humour and legitimate intellectual debate.

The silence of Bihari students in prestigious universities, who neither disclose their roots nor challenge the mockery directed at their state, speaks volumes about the underlying issues.

This silence mirrors the vast educational divide within Bihar. On one side, a privileged minority attends elite English-medium schools and excels in competitive exams.

On the other, the overwhelming majority depends on a struggling government school system — arguably one of the least effective in the country — leaving a significant portion of children at a stark disadvantage.

The contrast is glaring, and the conversation about Bihar’s education system deserves far more than just meme-worthy attention.

The Numbers Draw a Bleak Picture

According to the latest data by the Ministry of Education (MoE), nearly 82.47 per cent of the 94,686 schools in Bihar are government-run, while 723 are aided by the government.

The Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) report for 2023-24, released by the MoE, paints a bleak picture of the state’s education.

In 2022, the Pratham Education Foundation went to all 38 districts of Bihar to gauge the efficiency of the state's schools — mainly government schools.

Barring a few exceptions, the findings of the report titled ‘Annual Status of Education Report’ match the narrative about Bihar’s education system:

– The students' ability to read was found to be at a 10-year low. Barely 19.8 per cent of Class III children in schools could read Class II level text.

– While the figure for private schools was 54.3 per cent, for government schools, it dropped to 12.9 per cent — a decline after the peak of 15.6 per cent in 2014.

– Even for Class V and Class VIII government school students, the readings are extremely poor.

• Only 37.1 per cent of Class V students could read Class II textbooks, while the figure was 69.7 per cent for Class VIII.

• 70 per cent of Class V and 42 per cent of Class VIII children could not do basic arithmetic operations like division.

• 85.4 per cent of Class V students and 59 per cent of Class VIII students could not read a proper English sentence.

– Boys outdid girls, contrary to the aims of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s women empowerment schemes.

These figures came alongside 82.2 per cent enrollment of children in the age group of 6-14 years in government schools. In 2018, it was 78.1 per cent. However, only 59.3 per cent of students at the primary level and 53.3 per cent in upper primary came to school.

Educationalists believe that the attendance figures may be inflated. A report titled 'Where are the Kids', by Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan (JJSS), puts these figures at 23 per cent and 20 per cent in primary and upper primary schools, respectively.

The JJSS also found that teachers inflate these figures to 44 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively.

More studies, like the National Achievement Survey of 2021, point to a similar state of affairs in Bihar’s education.

The one major positive outcome has been the increasing participation of girls in education due to provisions like reservations, bicycles, and cash incentives for degrees, among others.

Since some of these bleak findings came after Covid-19, officials found it easy to evade the hard questions by pinning the blame on the viral disease. Actually, more than 55 per cent of teachers’ positions in government schools were lying vacant by the end of 2021, which might partially explain the damning results.

A closer look reveals that the Bihar government’s lacklustre attitude towards education played a bigger role.

Between 2015 and 2020, the state spent only 5 per cent of its gross state domestic product (GSDP) on education.

The fact that the central government was forced to chop down its spending on school education during Covid-19, in line with the state’s reduced emphasis on education, only worsened the crisis.

The Government of India bears 60 per cent of the cost associated with central sector schemes like Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mid-Day Meal Scheme, and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, among others.

These schemes, coupled with Nitish Kumar’s own efforts, helped bring a transformative change in Bihar’s education system in the first decade of Kumar’s rule.

Nitish Kumar Gets To Work

Before Kumar took charge, the Rabri Devi government was failing to spend even about 30 per cent of its budgetary expenditure on education.

For instance, a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India revealed that the state's education department spent only Rs 2,570 crore out of the total Rs 3,640 crore in the year 2004-05.

The education department was a major contributor to the savings of state finances at a time when the term "Bihari" was becoming synonymous with unfavourable stereotypes outside the state.

Fast forward to 2015. A CAG audit revealed that the state government was spending nearly Rs 1,100 crore — more than what it saved in 2005 — on nine schemes designed to provide bicycles and uniforms to school students, especially those belonging to the backward classes.

Further, Rs 11,477.94 crore — more than half of the total spending on financial assistance — was allocated to educational institutions like aided schools, aided colleges, and universities, among others. 

Despite these hefty expenses, the education department saved eight times more money than it did in 2004-05, which clearly indicates that fatigue and repetitive patterns had set in. The fatigue came amidst increasing investments in trying to meet the hurdle of systemic (read: bureaucratic) inefficiency, prevalent since the late 1980s.

When Kumar came to power, his main emphasis was on appointing teachers who were efficient and credible. He stressed on degrees and appointed more than 3.5 lakh teachers between 2006 and 2015.

The mass hiring came against the backdrop of a revelation in the National University of Educational Planning & Administration (NUEPA) report that 79 per cent of teachers in the state did not even have Class X certificates in 2007.

Kumar's initiatives for students focused on bringing children out of the clutches of daily wage labour. Free lunch, uniforms, books, and bicycles were key to improving metrics like the gross enrollment ratio, secondary school enrollments, pass rates, gender ratio, student-to-pupil ratio, and dropout rates.

The improvements, though not up to the national mark, were significant considering the dilapidated state of education Kumar had inherited.

The enhancement in the state of government education in Bihar is corroborated by the opening of private, unaided schools in the state. According to the UDISE report, between 2012 and 2020, the number of private schools shot up from 775 to 7,923 — a more than 900 per cent jump. The latest report (for 2023-24) puts this figure at 9,167.

The proliferation of private schools is explained by improved law and order, higher incomes, and a proportional increase in distrust of government institutions with the rise in income levels.

Systemic Challenges and Corruption

One example of this mistrust is the way in which 3.52 lakh teachers were brought into the system.

The system populated teachers who had obtained fake degrees by bribing clerks in local universities and elsewhere. The scandal got so huge that Patna High Court had to order a vigilance probe into the matter.

A study by the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA) showed that in 2017-18, the department spent 68 per cent of the school education budget on teachers towards salaries, pensions, and other incentives like awards and benefits for the children of teachers, and transfer allowance.

The figure was not an aberration, as evidenced by the numbers reported between 2014-15 and 2017-18.

To put this in perspective, between 2014-15 and 2017-18, the state’s education department spent an average of 63.3 per cent of its budget on teachers who were not qualified for the job.

While the education department was grappling with these issues, Kumar’s politics further worsened the perception of the state's future. His choosing to join hands with Lalu Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) was disastrous for the state's polity and policies in multiple areas.

In fact, the trajectory of the opening of new private schools in Bihar shows that whenever Kumar sided with the Grand Alliance (later INDI Alliance), investors hesitated to open new schools.

The 2018 ASER report by the Pratham Education Foundation validates these concerns:

• Only 41 per cent of Class V students in Bihar could read a Class II-level text, below the national average of 50.5 per cent.

• Reading ability among Class V students declined from 48.1 per cent in 2014 to 41.2 per cent in 2018.

• Only 71.4 per cent of Class VIII students could read a Class II-level text in 2018, down from 80.7 per cent in 2012.

• In 2018, 70 per cent of Class V students in Bihar could not do simple division, slightly better than the national average of 72 per cent.

• Among Class VIII students, only 57 per cent had age-appropriate numeracy skills in 2018, down from 67 per cent in 2012.

• The performance gap between government and private school students was significant, especially in Class V.

The situation grew worse over the next four years, as Covid-19, fund cuts, and political instability plagued Bihar.

Recent Transformative Efforts

When the state government woke up to the reality, an elaborate transformative effort on its part had become a necessity.

The first major step it took was to bring meritorious teachers into the system. This responsibility was handed to the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), which conducted its first massive exercise of recruiting 1.75 lakh teachers in 2023.

The BPSC also amended the domicile provision, as a result of which prospective candidates from states like Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, among others, also applied.

The commission announced recruitment for more than 86,000 posts in 2024 as well, with more such recruitment set to follow.

Hiring quality teachers across the board is only one part of the job. Teachers also need to work efficiently, while education infrastructure needs to be enhanced.

Two additional chief secretaries of the Department of Education, K K Pathak and S Siddharth, have been burning the midnight oil to improve things.

From the new financial year, every government school in Bihar will receive Rs 50,000 per year for maintenance work. The fund will be used for roof rejuvenation, electricity, furniture, water connections, lab equipment, and cleanliness. The total cost under this initiative will be around Rs 391 crore.

The spending comes accompanied with the latest round of 15 additional strict directives passed by Siddharth. Teachers are now required to mark their attendance — they need to come in 10 minutes before class for that — on the e-Shikshakosh portal of the state government.

Teachers are also required to formulate a study plan and ensure students follow it. Daily homework and weekly tests, along with a three-month progress report for every child, is now mandatory for teachers. Parent-teacher meetings are also on top of the agenda.

Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Siddharth has also released two contact numbers — including one of his own — to dial in case there are any complaints about education in the state.

About a month ago, Siddharth initiated proceedings to introduce computer education in 31,927 schools. Additionally, NCERT books have been made compulsory for students of classes VI to VIII.

Siddharth has taken several transformative steps to improve Bihar’s education system.

One of his key initiatives is the introduction of the surprise video call monitoring through the e-Shikshakosh app, allowing him to inspect school premises, classrooms, and mid-day meals in real-time. The use of technology can help deter manipulation by teachers or headmasters.

The monitoring system, with features such as digital attendance, facial recognition for students, and automated headcounts, is designed for a comprehensive evaluation of schools, including syllabus coverage and teaching quality.

A wide survey of school infrastructure revealed that essential amenities like benches, desks, water supply, and toilets are still inadequate.

Siddharth aims to introduce vocational training in high schools by partnering with polytechnics and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to ensure students acquire job-ready skills before completing their education.

To recognise sincere teachers, a ‘Teacher of the Month’ programme has been launched.

The hallmark of Siddharth's short stint as ACS of the education department has been discipline, transparency, zero tolerance for corruption, an emphasis on digitalisation for transparency, and, most importantly, establishing a direct connection with parents and the public.

Siddharth is carrying forward the work of his go-getter predecessor K K Pathak, said to be one of Kumar’s personal favourite bureaucrats.

In June 2023, Pathak was made responsible for fixing the education system in Bihar. Within nine months, the department released more than 200 order letters. He made it compulsory for teachers to reside in the villages they teach and put a ban on transfers.

Negligence was met with harsh consequences, including salary deductions and suspensions. A dress code prohibiting casual attire was imposed.

Pathak also began surprise inspections of schools. On his visits, he spoke with students, tested teachers’ knowledge, and made inquiries about facilities in the school with the staff.

These visits resulted in the issuance of more than 100 letters to district magistrates and district education and other officials.

Additionally, a war room to receive complaints of any malfeasance in a school was set up in Bihar’s secretariat.

In October 2023, more than 15,000 schools in the state did not have benches and desks, even as more than Rs 1,090 crore of funds remained unused. Pathak got Rs 200 crore more sanctioned from the Kumar government to ensure the availability of better benches and desks.

Coaching classes during school and college hours were banned. Teachers were asked to adopt five students each as part of a performance-enhancing programme called 'Daksh.' Ten-thousand teachers took on 50,000 students under their wings to improve their learning outcomes.

To enhance teacher accountability, salary deductions and issuance of showcause notices for unexplained absences became a regular occurrence.

Teachers appointed by the relatively free and fair BPSC examinations were mandated to serve in rural areas for inclusive education.

Additionally, Rs 1,200 crore from school development and student welfare funds were used for infrastructure improvements.

Pathak also enforced a 75 per cent attendance requirement for students to promote regularity and restricted teacher transfers and deputations to ensure continuity in teaching. The number of school holidays during festivals was reduced from 23 to 11 to maintain academic consistency.

All these efforts started to pay off with a 30 per cent increase in secondary schools and a 40 per cent increase in primary school attendance. Teachers instilling in students the habit of going to school daily is another major achievement under Pathak.

Pathak and Siddharth have helped bring a sense of balance in the perception of government-run schools in the state. Whether parents send their kids to school or not, they are regardless glad that teachers who devote meagre time to school are now on tenterhooks.

Passengers on early-morning trains in Bihar testify to the fact that teachers now board these trains regularly to teach in other towns. Earlier, these journeys were few and far between.

Teachers recruited in the last two years (through BPSC) have started to see themselves as on par with civil service officers due to the perception of their meritorious recruitment.

They have good reasons to feel proud. The BPSC has been struggling to fill teacher vacancies. Its latest recruitment drive fell short by more than 21,000 teachers. Even a cut-off of 40-50 marks was proving to be a hard task for aspiring teachers.

This problem was particularly amplified in the science stream, where over 75 per cent of the seats remained vacant. These vacancies will be addressed by future recruitment drives.

This paints a poor picture for a state that has emerged as one of the most serious about improving its education prospects in recent years.

In 2023-24 — when serious change was initiated — the Bihar government spent Rs 16,000 crore more than its budget estimate of Rs 42,381 crore for the state's education department.

Consequently, the government allocated Rs 54,605 crore to the department in the 2024-25 budget — over 22 per cent of total funds. The national average is 14.7 per cent, while Maharashtra — the richest state in India — allotted only 16.4 per cent.

Among the top five states in India, Bihar beat Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh in percentage terms, while Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat were beaten in absolute numbers.

Persistent Challenges

The high budgetary allocation, unusual increase in efficiency, and recruitment of teachers on a mass scale in the last two years have, however, not changed the fate of students much.

The UDISE 2023-24 report indicates that Bihar’s gross enrolment ratio (GER) in primary, upper primary, and secondary schools is down to 83, 68, and 46 per cent, respectively. For higher secondary, it is as low as 30. However, the state’s pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) is also down to 32, 30, and 31 for primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools, respectively.

These numbers would have been worse if private schools had been left out of the equation.

There are a few recurring themes that either slip away unnoticed or are seldom considered before formulating a new policy.

Consider teacher recruitment, for example. When Kumar launched his initiative in the early 2000s, he was aware that duplicity was enabled by the mukhiya and local officers. Still, he went ahead with the recruitment.

Kumar's trouble was that he had inherited a troubling legacy. The state's education had remained in a bad shape since the late 1980s, as symbolised by the decline of Patna Science College.

Whether it was a peon, registrar, or even a clerk in an education office, nepotism and money power prevailed over competitive recruitment norms. These individuals then pushed corruption down the system.

During school exams, it was common for powerful families to bring questions home, ask their children to write the answers, and then submit the answer sheets to the department.

At the university level, this malpractice was improbable because students had to be physically present at the centre to take the exam. So, the form changed. Hence came cheating on exams by looking up guide books.

Students would even be able to tell which teacher would handle their copies. This is how generations of students got their original certificates. Worse, getting a fake certificate was easy.

In this context, lakhs of teaching positions remaining vacant during RJD rule in Bihar could be seen more as a blessing than a curse. The RJD probably understood that filling these vacancies could create more controversies.

But Kumar stuck his neck out and initiated a slew of reform measures, even though he had to initially work through the same system that produced the poorly qualified graduates.

Still, various education metrics improved, thanks in large part to the mid-day meal scheme. With a per capita income of Rs 59,637, Bihar is ranked 32nd in India. There is extreme inequality in access to education and wealth.

While the wealthier families are able to send their children to private schools, poorer parents are forced to send their children to work from the age of six. Their rationale is that even if the kids do not earn enough to bring money home, at least they have food at their workplace.

This is how the mid-day meal scheme came to strike a chord with parents. For them, the school or anganwadi was a great option for students to sit in class for a few hours and get a free meal. Education was a bonus.

However, by the time these children grow older, say 10 years and above, they are able to earn and send some money back home. The decline in the GER with the rise in class speaks to this reality.

But it is also true that parents now have a deep desire for their children to be educated and have a matriculation or higher secondary qualification.

One solution would be to change the school timings so as to relieve the older students by around lunch time to assist their parents in making a living.

Evening classes are another solution, but for that, teachers will need to get on board.

Will teachers agree?

The maximum age for becoming a teacher in Bihar ranges from 37 to 47, and 21 is the minimum age. This wide range allows people who received their degrees in both the Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar eras to appear for examinations. So, the applicants are not all meritorious. And hence the vacancies despite the BPSC recruitment exams and low cut-offs.

Then there is the added complication of acquiring a diploma or a bachelor's degree in education, the fees for which can run into lakhs. Teachers and aspirants treat tution fees as an investment that pays in the comfort of a government jobs in the long run.

It is wonder that private tuitions are flourishing in the state. According to the ASER 2022 report, 70 per cent of students — 129.5 per cent more than the national average of 30.5 per cent — in Bihar take private tuition.

While many private school students take private tuition so as to qualify for scholarships in coaching centres that would prepare them for medical and engineering entrance examinations, government school students do it to acquire the basic knowledge that their schools are failing to provide.

Those who can afford it prefer private tuition over school. This holds true even for higher education. Colleges in Bihar are known for delaying degrees by a minimum of a year.

As this article was being wrapped up, one of this writer's friends mentioned to him that he would fill out the form for the upcoming teacher recruitment process. He did not have a Bachelor of Education (B Ed) degree. His time was also divided between the day job and his family.

It turns out he was enrolled in a college in Haryana that only called in students for semester exams and awarded degrees after faking attendance.

The state's education system clearly has a long way to go.