The government of Bihar has decided to hire 1.78 lakh new teachers through the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), and they will receive better pay than the current 3.5 lakh teachers who were hired through Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies (ULBs) since 2006. The proposed pay scale is lower than the previous pay scale for teachers, under which around 60,000 still remain in service. The new recruitment process will provide primary teachers (class 1-5) with a basic salary of Rs. 25,000 and a gross salary of around Rs. 38,000 with allowances. Similarly, the gross salary will cross Rs. 46,000 for teachers appointed in secondary schools (class 9-10) and Rs. 48,000 for teachers appointed in higher secondary schools (class 11-12).
The appointment of 1.78 lakh teachers will cost the government around Rs. 106,23 crore. The existing teachers appointed through the BPSC will have an option to take a uniform exam to become government employees. The government will now advertise the posts after the cabinet nod to the pay scale. The new recruitment rules provide for the appointment of teachers through a central process as the current process of appointment through Panchayati Raj institutions is marred with controversy.
The Nitish Kumar-led government’s decision to hire new teachers is a major policy shift, as they had been hiring teachers through PRIs and ULBs since 2006, despite concerns over quality and controversies surrounding the alleged doctoring of documents landing in the Patna high court. In the election year, the appointment of 1.78 lakh teachers is in keeping with the government’s announcement to provide at least 10 lakh jobs.