Bihar cabinet clears rules to reserve 85% teacher posts for permanent residents: Official
Additional chief secretary (cabinet) S Siddharth said the domicile policy would ensure that 85% of teaching posts in state-run schools are reserved for Bihar residents. This provision is part of the Bihar State School Teacher Appointment, Transfer, Disciplinary Action and Service Conditions Amendment Rules 2025, approved by the Nitish Kumar cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday.
Last month, the cabinet also mandated that the 35% quota for women for these jobs would only be available to the state's women.
The changes ahead of state elections later this year are seen to respond to an opposition campaign to restore the domicile rule in public recruitment that was scrapped in 2016. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav has promised a '100% domicile' rule if the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) comes to power. Union minister Chirag Paswan has also supported the demand to stipulate the domicile rule for recruitment to the government.
Nitish Kumar had announced the move to give preference to candidates from the state in the recruitment of teachers in a post on X on Monday.
Siddharth said the domicile policy ensures that 85% teaching posts are effectively reserved for Bihar residents. The reservation structure is built upon existing quotas, with 50% allocated for caste-based reservations and 10% for the economically weaker sections (EWS). Of the remaining 40% unreserved (general) seats, 35% are already reserved for women from Bihar. Now, an additional 40% of the unreserved seats will be allocated to candidates who have passed their matriculation and intermediate examinations from any board in Bihar.
Candidates must have completed their matriculation and intermediate education in Bihar to qualify as a state resident under this rule.
Siddharth said the policy effectively ensures that 85% of the teacher posts will be filled by permanent residents of Bihar, giving a significant advantage to local candidates.
The cabinet meeting, which cleared 36 proposals in all, has also approved initiatives such as the establishment of digital libraries in every assembly constituency and an increase in honorarium for various workers.
With an outlay of over ₹94.50 crore, the plan is to set up digital libraries in every assembly constituency to support students preparing for competitive exams like JEE, NEET, and CLAT. These libraries will provide access to online course materials and digital study resources, fostering advanced education through technology. Siddharth said that the initiative will empower students by offering modern learning tools in their local areas.
The cabinet also approved the amendments to the building byelaws, which will guide the development of planned townships based on land pooling. These townships will include designated spaces for roads, parks, parking areas, and playgrounds, ensuring organised urban growth.
Additionally, the cabinet increased honorarium for various workers. Physical education instructors will now receive ₹16,000 monthly, night watchmen in middle schools will earn ₹10,000 (up from ₹5,000), ASHA workers' honorarium has risen from ₹2,000 to ₹3,000, Mamta workers' from ₹300 to ₹600, and cooks' from ₹1,650 to ₹3,300. Sanitation workers also received a pay hike, reflecting the government's commitment to improving the livelihoods of contractual workers.
The cabinet also approved education department's proposal to change the reference date to complete 75% attendance to avail various benefits such as scholarships, uniform and bicycle through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Siddharth said adding that reference date will now be April 1 to July 31, 2025 as against the existing reference date of April 1 to September 30.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: 38 checkpoints set up ahead of I-Day
A day after Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav directed all district police chiefs to step up security ahead of Independence Day, the Ludhiana police intensified checking across the city and set up 38 special checkpoints on Tuesday. Cops during a vehicle checking drive in Ludhiana on Tuesday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT) Commissioner of police Swapan Sharma, accompanied by deputy commissioner of police (law and order) Parminder Singh Bhandal, visited several checkpoints to review the arrangements. Sharma said that both day and night checking operations have been scaled up, with the checkpoints placed at strategic locations across the city under the supervision of gazetted officers. 'The deployment of police personnel on the roads has been increased from 200 to 600. We have also received additional force to ensure foolproof security,' he added. Apart from road checkpoints, police teams will carry out security inspections at high-footfall areas, including Inter state bus terminal Ludhiana, the railway station, parking lots, and major markets. On Monday, DGP Yadav had reviewed security preparations in border districts and key cities, including Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar, giving clear instructions on inter-district coordination, high-visibility nakas, and 24x7 surveillance. He had directed all commissioners of police and senior superintendents of police to ensure visible police presence at vital spots, intensify domination operations, and adopt preventive and detective measures to maintain peace and harmony during the Independence Day celebrations.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Protests continue against dog relocation order in Delhi, FIR filed in India Gate gathering
New Delhi A protester at Connaught Place remonstrates with a police constable. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo) Protests continued for a second consecutive day against the Supreme Court order to move stray dogs across Delhi-NCR to shelters within eight weeks, with hundreds gathering at Connaught Place on Tuesday evening, raising slogans against the Supreme Court directive and calling for its reversal. Protests started around 4pm near the Hanuman temple and continued for an hour, before police dispersed them and detained several protesters in buses. Protesters, meanwhile, alleged police brutality and said that a police officer could be seen slapping a protester in a video. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video. Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment. A senior police officer said protesters did not have permission to congregate. 'We gave them repeated warnings and even asked them to shift to Jantar Mantar, but they did not listen to us. They did not even seek permission for the protest. Since it was an illegal gathering, police had to remove them. While we were trying to put them in buses, men and women started fighting with our staff. Police staff had to use minimal force to control the protesters.' When asked about the video, the officer said, 'We have not come across any complaint in this regard. We are verifying this video and trying to ascertain the sequence of events. If what is alleged is true, action will be taken against the staff. However, as per officers there, protesters became aggressive and had to be dragged and pushed. They also attacked our staff...' Holding placards and waving banners, protesters said the top court's directive was in contravention of the Indian Constitution, alleging it would result in the loss of life. 'When the court talks about the Right to Life, does it only mean that it's exclusively for humans? Are these voiceless creatures not covered under it?' Avni Singh, a protester, said. Another protester, Ishita, said: 'The authorities have no shelters, they have no infrastructure to feed them or sterilise them. This is such an inhumane order which will disrupt the city's ecosystem.' Protesters said that authorities should pause before implementing this order and outline a detailed plan. 'The state doesn't have a policy in the first place, infrastructure is not there and now the police are not letting us protest peacefully. We are not doing anything illegal here, we are here to raise our concern,' a protester said before being dragged onto a bus. Online campaigns gather pace Activists called on fellow protesters to document the stray dogs, especially while being captured. Gauri Maulekhi, an activist and trustee with the People for Animals (PFA), said it was important to document their movement. In a social media post, she said: 'If dogs are being rounded up in your area, document everything safely - how they are caught, kept and moved.' She asked people to use geotagging apps to mark the location of capture or their final destinations. 'This evidence and photographs will become vital evidence for policy and legal action,' she said, asking for it to be shared on reportdogcruelty@ An online petition on seeking reversal of the SC order, garnered over 170,000 signatures on the day, as actor Simi Garewal also promoted it. Sanna Singh, an activist director at Varaha Impact Foundation, appealed to the public to send emails to the Chief Justice of India, expressing concerns over the verdict. 'Make sure the subject line is unique. Within the body of the email, write a few personal emails as to why the subject is important to you, why we are opposing the relocation...' she said. Alokparna Sengupta, managing director, Humane World for Animals India, said animal protection organisations across India were working on legal action, media outreach, research and public awareness campaigns. 'People across the country are speaking up against this order and raising awareness of its dangerous implications. Several of us are in the process of exploring legal options to ensure that welfare of these animals is upheld,' she said. FIR filed in India Gate protests A day after hundreds of people gathered at the India Gate to protest against the Supreme Court order on stray dogs, the Delhi Police lodged an FIR against the protesters under Section 223 of the BNS (disobedience to order duly promulgated by the public servant). A senior police officer said: 'We have lodged an FIR based on the violation of law and order arrangements. We had repeatedly asked the protesters to not gather at India Gate. They did not listen to us and staged a protest. We tried to remove them but they manhandled staff and also resisted being removed. Despite repeated instructions, they didn't leave. Some of them pushed our female constables.' Police said they detained a few people in connection with the protest.
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
India, China to resume direct flights soon amid push to reset tense ties, airlines told to start preparations
India and China are set to resume direct flights as soon as September, as the two countries seek to reset political ties after years of tensions, sources have said. IndiGo has reportedly already been asked to begin preparing flights to China. (PTI) The Indian government has reportedly asked airlines in the country to prepare flights to China at short notice, with an official announcement likely as soon as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit at the end of this month in China. IndiGo has already been asked to begin preparations, sources told HT. Direct flights between India and China were halted after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing travellers to travel via hopping flights through hubs like Hong Kong or Singapore. Diplomatic relations of the two Asian heavyweights also hit a new low in June 2020, when border clashes erupted in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley. The clashes led to the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese personnel. Against the backdrop of the clashes, New Delhi took a series of measures against Beijing, including a ban on 59 Chinese mobile applications. China termed the ban 'discriminatory' and considered taking the issue to the World Trade Organization. Last month, India announced the resumption of tourist visas for Chinese nationals, marking a step towards the normalisation of bilateral ties that hit their lowest point following the military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Before the suspension, Indian airlines, including Air India and IndiGo, used to operate direct flights between key cities of the two countries. Over a dozen direct flights were being operated every week, connecting cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Kunming with New Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Chinese airlines such as Air China, China Southern and China Eastern also used to run direct services. India and China first agreed in principle to resume direct flights in January this year. The countries also agreed to promote and facilitate people-to-people contacts, especially between media and think tanks. The decision, taken at the meeting between foreign secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, also included the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which had been stopped since 2020. India-China ties heading for revival? Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit China for the first time in seven years to attend the SCO Summit, scheduled to be held in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1. China welcomed PM Modi's expected visit. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, "We believe that with the concerted effort of all parties, the Tianjin summit will be a gathering of solidarity, friendship and fruitful results, and the SCO will enter a new stage of high-quality development featuring greater solidarity, coordination, dynamism and productiveness.' HT reported that the Prime Minister's visit will also set up the possibility of a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The renewed push to resume direct flights and improve bilateral ties between the two Asian countries comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions over US President Donald Trump's tariffs on India, which he doubled from 25 per cent to 50 per cent due to New Delhi's oil purchase from Russia. China voiced support for India as Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong publicly called Trump a 'bully' and warned India that 'give the bully an inch, he will take a mile,' urging New Delhi not to yield to US trade pressure. China and the US were also engaged in a tit-for-tat battle over Trump's reciprocal tariffs, raising the levies on each other. However, Trump on Monday announced a postponement of the planned tariff hikes on Chinese goods, extending the deadline for another 90 days. (with inputs from Bloomberg)
