In outreach to youth, women, Nitish plays domicile card in jobs before polls
On July 8, the NDA government had earmarked the existing 35% women reservation in government jobs for native Bihar women. This quota, in force since 2016, had earlier been open to women from other states as well.
The government's Tuesday move came a day after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed the state education department to amend the rules to prioritise Biharis in the teachers' appointment.
In a social media post Monday, Nitish, who is also the JD(U) chief, said: 'We have been constantly working to improve the education system of the state ever since our government was formed in November 2005. Teachers have been appointed in large numbers in order to strengthen the education system….The education department has been directed to amend the relevant rules to give priority to the people of Bihar in the teachers' appointment.'
The NDA government's decision, coming on the eve of the Assembly polls, assumes significance as it is aimed at wooing the vast constituencies of youth and women across the state.
Even though the Nitish government had first announced a domicile policy in 2020, it was not implemented in any recruitment examinations. The government later reversed its decision, which led to protests in subsequent years by various student associations. The TRE-4 would thus mark first time when native Bihar candidates, including 35% women, would avail benefits of a domicile policy.
On the Cabinet's decision, Bihar additional chief secretary S Siddharth told reporters, 'Bihar Cabinet gave its nod to 'Bihar State School Teacher (Appointment, Transfer, Disciplinary Action & Service Conditions) (Amendment) Rules 2025' under which people hailing from Bihar alone will be eligible for appointment as school teachers in the state'.
As per these amended rules, students who have passed matriculation (Class 10) and intermediate (Class 12) from Bihar will get priority in the appointment of education department's jobs, both in teaching and non-teaching ones, said Siddharth, adding that the move would enable natives of Bihar to avail of over 85% job quota.
This would leave candidates from other states to appear for examination for only 15% of these jobs. About 60,000 teachers hailing from outside Bihar had been appointed through three TREs conducted over the last five years.
Jobs have emerged as one of the key issues in the run-up to the Bihar polls, with a large section of youths and students holding protests over the last several months to press for a domicile policy for recruitment in government jobs.
RJD leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Tejashwi Yadav and Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor have been among the Bihar leaders who have called for a state domicile policy.
Tejashwi has even promised 100% reservation across all jobs if the RJD-led Opposition Mahagathbandhan comes to power in the upcoming polls. In his reaction to Nitish's move, he accused the NDA government of 'copying' the Opposition's agenda.
Union minister and LJP(RV) chief Chirag Paswan, an NDA ally, has also favoured a domicile policy to give priority to Bihar youths in government jobs.
Dilip Kumar, a student leader who led several protests over non-implementation of a domicile policy, said: 'It is a victory of all Bihar students. We always believed in son-of-soil principle. When other states had not opened avenues for us, our government has now done the right thing by rolling out a domicile policy.'
Over the last couple of months, the Nitish government has taken various populist measures, which include the hiking of social security pension from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 per month and the allotment of 125 unit free electricity to all domestic consumers in the state, numbering 1.67 crore families.
More sops
The Nitish Cabinet Tuesday also raised the honorarium of midday meal scheme cooks from Rs 1,650 to Rs 3,300 per month, benefitting 2,18,622 cooks. The honorarium of 6,000 night watchmen working in secondary and higher secondary schools has been doubled from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. The honorarium of 2,350 physical education and health instructors has been increased from Rs 8,000 to Rs 16,000. The Cabinet also increased the monthly incentives of the ASHA and community health workers from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000.
Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.
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