Bihar CM Nitish Kumar announces double pay for key school support staff

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has approved a significant raise in honorariums for several categories of education support staff, including cooks, night watchmen, and physical education and health instructors.

The revised amounts will see cooks under the midday meal scheme earn ₹3,300, up from ₹1,650.

Night watchmen posted at secondary and higher secondary schools will now receive ₹10,000 instead of ₹5,000, and physical education and health instructors will get ₹16,000, double their previous ₹8,000.

"Keeping this in mind, we have decided to double their honorarium, making a respectable increase in their remuneration..." Kumar said in a post on X.

In addition to the monthly hike, their annual increment has also been revised from ₹200 to ₹400.

"This will boost the morale of the working staff, and they will perform their duties with greater enthusiasm and dedication," he added.

Kumar noted that the decision is part of broader reforms aimed at improving education delivery in Bihar.

He highlighted the steady increase in the state’s education budget, which has grown from ₹4,366 crore in 2005 to ₹77,690 crore in 2024.

"Since the formation of the government in November 2005, we have been continuously working to improve the education system..." he said.

He also pointed to ongoing investments in teacher recruitment, school construction, and infrastructure upgrades.

While acknowledging these efforts, he underlined the often-overlooked role of non-teaching personnel in supporting school operations.

"Significant improvements have been made in the education system through the appointment of a large number of teachers, construction of new school buildings, and development of basic infrastructure. Cooks, night watchmen, and physical education and health instructors have played an important role in strengthening the education system," he said.

The honorarium increase is being seen as a step toward recognizing the contributions of ground-level staff essential to school functioning and student welfare.