Nitish Kumar’s 10 Key Educational Reforms That Transformed Bihar’s Schools and Colleges

Bihar’s education system has undergone one of the most sweeping transformations in India under Nitish Kumar’s leadership. As the state votes in the ongoing elections, education reforms have once again become a core point of debate — not in abstract terms, but through the tangible changes that reshaped classrooms, expanded opportunities, and improved access for millions of students.

Over the past decade, Nitish Kumar’s government has introduced reforms across funding, digital infrastructure, teacher recruitment, girls’ education and higher education expansion, significantly altering Bihar’s education trajectory. From enhancing school access in remote areas to pioneering large-scale digital learning initiatives, Bihar’s education landscape today reflects continuous policy interventions backed by rising investments.

Here are the ten major educational reforms that contributed to Bihar’s transformation:

1. A Major Rise in the Education Budget

One of the strongest pillars of Bihar’s education development has been sustained investment. The state’s education budget reached ₹40,450 crore in 2023–24 — the highest allocation across all sectors. From 2004–05 to 2020–21, the state budget grew nearly tenfold, and education consistently received priority with annual double-digit increases.

2. Teacher Recruitment and Regularisation

Bihar filled thousands of teaching posts during the last decade while introducing competency tests for regularisation. Between 2023 and 2025, new online transfer systems allowed 1.8 lakh teachers to secure postings based on preference, marking a significant administrative shift. The focus on stable staffing became a cornerstone of Nitish Kumar’s education reforms.

3. Reduction of Out-of-School Children

Bihar achieved dramatic improvements in school enrolment. Out-of-school children dropped from over 12% in 2005 to just 1.72% in 2020. Universal school access, targeted schemes for marginalised communities and incentive-based enrolment ensured that nearly every habitation gained access to a nearby government school.

4. Mukhyamantri Cycle Yojana

One of Bihar’s most influential education schemes, the Cycle Yojana, encouraged school attendance and especially empowered girls. Initially launched for girls and later extended to boys, the scheme used Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) to provide ₹3,000 for bicycle purchases, significantly improving mobility, enrolment and retention.

5. Free Uniforms for Students

Uniform distribution was expanded beyond primary classes after 2015. The initiative improved attendance across socially disadvantaged groups and helped narrow gender gaps in schooling, making it a consistent contributor to Bihar’s overall education outcomes.

6. Higher Honorariums for School Support Staff

In 2025–26, honorariums for essential support staff were doubled: midday meal cooks from ₹1,650 to ₹3,300, night guards from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 and health/PE instructors from ₹8,000 to ₹16,000. The government acknowledged that stronger school systems depend equally on non-teaching staff.

7. Infrastructure Expansion Across Schools

The number of government schools rose from 54,000 in 2005 to nearly 76,000 by 2025. Under BSEIDC, thousands of schools received new classrooms, labs, sanitation units, drinking water facilities and girls’ hostels. Secondary and senior secondary access expanded substantially, and infrastructure gaps such as unusable toilets dropped markedly over the years.

8. Digital Learning Reforms

Under the Unnayan Bihar Yojana, digital tools and smart classrooms reached more than 25,000 schools, with plans for 50,000 more. The state launched AI-based learning programmes for one crore students in partnership with Adobe, aligning closely with NEP 2020. Computer labs, digital TVs and e-content were rapidly deployed across districts.

9. Focus on Girls’ Education

Nitish Kumar’s reforms placed girls at the centre of education transformation. Scholarships, cycles, uniforms, nearby schools and residential hostels helped boost female enrolment. By 2021–2025, the government reported that girls in Classes 9–12 outnumbered boys — a milestone for Bihar’s social progress.

10. Higher Education Expansion

The past decade saw unprecedented growth in higher education: engineering colleges in every district, new medical colleges, polytechnics and improved university facilities. IIT Patna and IIM Bodh Gaya added national prominence to the state’s higher-education ecosystem.

Nitish Kumar’s education reforms have significantly reshaped the state’s learning environment — expanding access, uplifting infrastructure, integrating digital tools and strengthening workforce management. As Bihar enters a new political phase, these reforms remain central to debates on development, opportunity and the future of the state’s youth. Whether the momentum continues now rests with emerging leadership and sustained investment.