Now, eligible persons from any Indian state can apply for teaching jobs in Bihar government schools.

The Bihar government on Tuesday waived off the criterion of “being a permanent resident of the state” to work as a teacher in government schools. It also decided to become a part of the Centre’s “Scheme for Modernisation and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System” or SMART-PDS.

A cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar in Patna took the decisions that might have a far-reaching impact on school education and improvement in the PDS in the state.

“The cabinet approved the Bihar state schoolteachers (appointment, transfers, disciplinary action and service conditions) (Amendment) rules 2023. The condition of being a permanent resident of the state for being appointed as a schoolteacher is no longer mandatory,” cabinet department additional chief secretary (ASC) S. Siddharth told media persons.

Bihar is going to recruit around 1.78 lakh teachers for Classes I to XII in government schools in the coming months in a bid to infuse a fresh breath of life into school education across the state.

The Bihar Public Service Commission will conduct the recruitment examination — the process for which will begin next month.

The cabinet decision will attract applicants from different parts of the country, increase competition in recruitment and help the selection of suitable candidates.

However, the move has not gone down well with the teachers’ associations in the state. They have termed it as a decision against the unemployed youth of Bihar and have vowed to launch agitations to oppose it.

As far as the centrally-sponsored SMART-PDS scheme is concerned, it started in April 2023 and will runtill March 2026 to help the technological modernisation of the targeted PDS in thecountry.

“The cabinet has approved the proposal of the food and consumer protection department to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the central government for the SMART-PDS scheme. Accordingly a software will be developed to implement the policy decisions taken earlier for the purpose,” Siddharth said.

The cabinet discussed and approved 25 agendas at the meeting.