Bihar’s Massive Teacher Recruitment Drive and Education Budget

Introduction

Without enough teachers, many Bihar schools were having difficulties by August 2025. Some schools—around 29 of them—didn’t have a single teacher. In 354 schools, there was just one, and in another 2,977, only two were managing all the classes. 

Ideally, every school should have at least three teachers so students can learn properly. Seeing how serious the problem had become, the Bihar government kicked off a massive hiring drive to bring in more teachers and improve education for children across the state.

Read Also: Bihar Education Overhaul: TRE-4 Recruitment, Scholarships

Scope of the TRE-4 Recruitment

• The upcoming Teacher Recruitment Examination (TRE-4) is set to fill more than 1.2 lakh (120,000+) teaching jobs. These posts cover every level of schooling—primary, middle, secondary, and higher secondary classes.
• Along with this, there are 7,279 openings for special teachers who will work in special schools for Classes 1 to 8. 

Domicile-Based Preferences & Reservation

• The Bihar Cabinet adopted a rule. It guarantees about 84.4% of teaching jobs for state citizens.
• Reservation breakdown:
• From the remaining 40% unreserved:
• 35% reserved for women from Bihar,
• Only 15.6% open to non-domicile applicants.

Domicile Policy and Local Focus

• Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said only Bihar residents can apply for TRE-4. This reinforces earlier policies.
• When employing teachers, the domicile policy favors local talent.

Administration, Timelines, and Aspirant Concerns

• The TRE-4 exam is expected to take place before August 2025 so that new teachers can be placed in schools on time.
• The Chief Minister has asked for an immediate check of all vacant posts and for the recruitment process to begin quickly for primary, middle, secondary, and higher secondary schools.
• In Patna, many teacher-aspirants held a protest. Prior to TRE-4, they insisted that the Secondary Teacher Eligibility Test (STET) be administered. 

Teacher Postings: Matching Needs with Local Preference

• CM also directed that teachers be posted in their desired or nearby locations, to enhance job satisfaction and stability

You May Also Like: Latest Bihar Education Reforms 2025: Teacher Recruitment

Education Budget Highlights for 2025–26 in Bihar

Substantial Budget Increase

• Bihar’s school education budget soared from 4,366 crore in 2005 to 77,690 crore in 2025—a massive increase that underlines commitment to education progress 

Allocation Snapshot

• In the 2025–26 state budget, 21.7% of total expenditure went to education—significantly above the national average of 15%

Higher Education and Infrastructure Boost

• National spending on higher education is also going up. In 2025–2026, 50,077.95 crore has been set aside, which is more than the 47,619.77 crore given in 2024–2025.
• In Bihar’s budget, funds have been kept for the development of IIT-Patna. This includes building a new hostel and adding other facilities so that more students can be given a place to stay and study.

Overview Table: TRE-4 & Budget Snapshot

Why This Matters?

For Students & Families

• Fresh teachers will likely improve class experience, reduce multi-grade teaching and fill critical gaps.
• Local candidates serving in local schools may stay longer and understand community needs.

For Teacher Aspirants

• The domicile-based rules give preference to women who studied in Bihar and to other residents of the state.
• Holding the STET exam on time is very important for eligibility, and aspiring teachers need clear updates from the authorities about it.

For the State’s Education System

• A strong budget and robust hiring can transform learning quality.
• Investments in higher education infrastructure like IIT-Patna will uplift academic standards and research capacity.

Challenges Ahead and the Road to Improvement

Bihar’s plan to bring in more teachers and increase the education budget is a big step forward, but there are still a few roadblocks to cross. First, it’s not enough to just fill the posts. Teachers also need ongoing training and real chances to grow teir skills if they’re going to manage classrooms well. Then there’s the issue of school facilities. Many rural schools still don’t have proper classrooms, clean toilets, or even a small library where children can sit and read. Delays in recruitment also hurt. If exams or joining dates drag on, students can end up spending months without enough teachers in the room. Keeping teachers on the job is another challenge. Posting them close to home helps, but they also need good pay, growth opportunities, and reasons to stay long-term.

Key Takeaways (Bullet Summary)

• The largest teacher recruitment event in Bihar, TRE-4, aims to fill more than 120,000 positions.
• Domicile policy reserves ~84% of seats for Bihar residents with layered quotas.
• The education budget reached 77,690 crore, or 21.7% of state spending.
• Higher education, especially at IIT-Patna, is getting targeted infrastructure boosts.
• Aspirants are demanding STET be held before TRE-4 to ensure eligibility.

Posting preferences now consider teachers' location choices to improve retention.