With Nitish’s return as CM, Bihar hopes for steady education leadership

Bihar’s political landscape shifted once again as Nitish Kumar took oath for the tenth time as Chief Minister at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, accompanied by Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha as Deputy Chief Ministers.

The ceremony marked the beginning of a new cabinet at a time when Bihar’s education system is struggling to recover from a prolonged cycle of instability and administrative confrontations.

Nitish Kumar, who completed his schooling in Bakhtiyarpur, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1972 from Bihar Engineering College, now known as NIT Patna.

Before entering public life, he briefly worked at the Bihar State Electricity Board. NIT Patna, among the oldest engineering institutions in India.

Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary holds a Doctor of Litt from California Public University in the United States, while Vijay Kumar Sinha completed a civil engineering diploma from the Government Polytechnic in Barauni in 1989.

The education ministry, meanwhile, has seen one of the most turbulent phases in recent years.

Former education minister Sunil Kumar, a retired IPS officer and former Patna SSP who later headed the Bihar Police Building Construction Corporation, held the portfolio until November 2025.

He holds an MA in History from St Stephen’s College and joined JD(U) after retirement in 2020.

From 2015 to 2017, Bihar’s education department was led by Ashok Choudhary, who attempted to modernize school infrastructure and strengthen monitoring.

His exit in 2017 was due to the collapse of the ruling coalition, which forced a full cabinet restructuring and removed several ministers as political alliances shifted.

In 2017, the ministry went to Krishna Nandan Prasad Verma, who remained in charge until 2020.

His tenure marked a relatively quieter phase, but systemic challenges such as teacher vacancies, delayed examinations, and weak academic governance continued.

Verma’s term concluded when political alignments changed again, prompting another cabinet reshuffle.

The year 2020 began with Vijay Kumar Chaudhary taking charge, but his initial tenure was short-lived because the education ministry temporarily moved to Mewalal Chaudhary.

Mewalal lasted only three days in office after allegations resurfaced about irregularities in the appointment of assistant professors during his earlier role at a university. Public pressure led to his resignation, one of the briefest tenures in the state’s history.

After this turmoil, the ministry briefly returned to Ashok Choudhary before being reassigned again to Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.

He continued as minister from 2020 to 2022, focusing on administrative discipline, but his term ended when the political alignment changed once more.

In August 2022, RJD leader Chandrashekhar Yadav was appointed education minister as part of a newly formed government. His tenure, lasting around seventeen months until early 2023, became highly controversial.

He frequently drew criticism for remarks about the Ramcharitmanas, stating on January 12, 2023, that it "spreads hatred" and calling it toxic.

Again in September 2023, while addressing an event at the Bihar Hindi Granth Academy on Hindi Diwas, he said the text contained “potassium cyanide” and claimed he would oppose it as long as it existed.

He cited verses from the Aranya Kand to argue that it carried caste-based discriminatory messages.

During this period, he also clashed repeatedly with Additional Chief Secretary KK Pathak, known for enforcing strict discipline in school operations.

Their conflict intensified over issues such as school timings, holiday rules, and access to departmental offices. Pathak went on leave until January 31 after tensions escalated, and Chandrashekhar publicly claimed that the bureaucrat had resigned due to poor coordination.

The dispute had become so severe that the Chief Minister had to intervene earlier to mediate between the two.

As the standoff grew and political pressure increased, Chandrashekhar was removed from the ministry in January 2023.

After Chandrashekhar’s removal, Alok Kumar Mehta of the RJD was appointed education minister in early 2024.

His term, however, lasted barely a week because the Mahagathbandhan government collapsed soon after his appointment.

With the NDA forming the government on Jan 28, 2024, the education portfolio was reassigned to Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.

He held the post for about 45 days, overseeing the department during a transitional phase. When the cabinet expanded, the ministry was once again reshuffled, and Chaudhary was replaced.

From 2024 to 2025, the education ministry was handed to former IPS officer Sunil Kumar, who had earlier served as Patna SSP and later headed the Bihar Police Building Construction Corporation. He entered politics after retirement and was elected from the Bhore constituency.

Sunil Kumar’s appointment came after one of the most unstable periods in the department’s recent history. Within the first three months of 2024, Bihar saw four different education ministers: Chandrashekhar, Alok Mehta, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, and finally Sunil Kumar.

His term marked an attempt to restore continuity at a time when frequent changes had disrupted recruitment processes, slowed policy implementation, and created uncertainty across schools and universities.

Across two decades, these frequent changes have created a cycle of incomplete reforms. Each new minister brought a different approach, causing projects to slow or start over.

Teacher recruitment drives were delayed due to shifting administrative priorities, and university reforms stalled as departments adjusted to new leadership.

Examination delays, efforts to modernize classrooms, and digital learning initiatives all suffered from discontinuity. Departments often lacked clarity on annual planning because policies were reinterpreted every few months.

Students and teachers say these interruptions have directly affected the functioning of schools and colleges.

Late academic sessions, attendance issues, and a shortage of teachers have been compounded by inconsistent leadership.

Many parents and students now hope the new government will bring long-term direction instead of short-lived ministerial cycles.

The underlying structural challenges make this consistency even more essential. The ASER 2023 report highlighted serious learning deficits in Bihar, with around 30% of Class 5 students able to read a Class 2 text and only about 20% able to solve basic arithmetic problems.

Teacher vacancies remain widespread, and recruitment has been slowed by verification delays, litigation, and administrative reshuffling. Many schools depend on contractual teachers, leading to uneven quality.

Attendance continues to remain low in several districts, influenced by seasonal migration, household responsibilities, and limited facilities.

Many schools are still without adequate classrooms, libraries, labs, and functional toilets. Digital learning is difficult in rural areas due to poor connectivity.

Higher education faces its own challenges, with outdated syllabi, limited faculty strength, and universities operating on irregular calendars, pushing thousands of students to migrate every year to pursue professional courses.

Governance instability has repeatedly weakened reform cycles. Inter-departmental conflicts, frequent transfers, and rapid ministerial exits have slowed institutional progress.

At the same time, socioeconomic pressures such as poverty, early marriage among girls, and the need for adolescents to work continue to affect school participation.

As Nitish Kumar begins another term, expectations are high. Students want stability, a clear reform roadmap, and visible improvement in the quality of schooling.

Teachers’ associations are calling for continuity and long-term planning.

Across the state, there is hope that political changes will no longer derail the education system and that Bihar will finally move toward dependable leadership and development-focused governance.