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

Can Bihar’s schools be saved?

“Thok denge katta kapad mein, aaiye na hamra Bihar mein” — one of the most popular recent songs about Bihar — threatens with katta, the country-made pistol, daring anyone to step into the state. In stark contrast, Bihar’s Republic Day tableau highlights its rich Buddhist heritage.

This contrast is painful.

Nitish Kumar and his administration are desperately trying to shed this image, focusing on education. From record-breaking budgets and thousands of new teachers to free meals and uniforms, they’re pushing for change.

However, the data exposes the dismal condition.

The root problem lies in school education. 63% of class V students can’t even read class II textbooks. Attendance is another issue, often hovering around 20%, except during board exams.

Despite spending thousands of crores, the situation is worsening: enrollment is down, reading levels are at a decade-low, and teacher absenteeism is rampant.

Can Bihar’s schools be saved?

In my piece, I explore the structural issues that must be addressed before any big-ticket reform can work — For Only 20% School Attendance, Bihar Spends A Whopping ₹54,000 Crores A Year.

- Abhishek Kumar