The Bihar government has made a significant decision to terminate intermediate education in all three streams — arts, science, and commerce — in colleges under various state universities. Effective from the new academic session starting April 1, 2024, intermediate education will now exclusively be provided in higher secondary schools.
This resolution has been formally notified in the state gazette, marking a significant shift in educational policy. The decision harks back to a 2007 policy initiative by the Nitish Kumar government aimed at aligning with the 1986 National Education Policy of 10+2+3. The state had previously introduced the CBSE format for plus two education from the 2007-09 batch.
As part of this transition, Bihar had dissolved the Bihar Intermediate Council and revamped the Bihar School Examination Board, consolidating both Class 10 and plus two examinations under one integrated board, akin to the CBSE and ICSE.
Patna University had spearheaded this move by delinking intermediate education from its degree colleges back in 2007, setting the precedent for other universities to follow suit. However, it took 17 years for the policy to be fully implemented across the state.
The recent decision to end +2 education in colleges reflects the state’s confidence in the improved infrastructure and teaching resources in higher secondary schools. The government’s extensive recruitment drive has bolstered the teaching staff, with 67,961 teachers hired for higher secondary schools and another 65,737 for secondary schools.
In a parallel effort, the Bihar government had earlier aimed to establish one higher secondary school in every panchayat and upgrade existing secondary schools, although staffing challenges hindered progress. However, with the recent influx of teachers, schools are now better equipped to provide quality education at the plus two level.
