School Education in Bihar, where do we stand?
Universal School Education in Bihar: Where do we stand?
A Critical Analysis of UDISE+ 2023-24 Data
Introduction
In this series of UDISE+ 2023-24 data analyses, we study crucial states important for India to attain the goal of universalizing school education. We begin with one of the populous and significant states, Bihar. With approximately 10% of India’s population and a demographic skewed toward youth, Bihar’s educational outcomes significantly impact national averages and future workforce development. The state-specific approach to educational analysis is essential because national aggregates often mask regional disparities and unique challenges individual states face. Each state operates within its distinct socio-economic, cultural, and administrative context, requiring tailored interventions rather than one-size-fits-all approaches.
Bihar and other large states like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan collectively shape India’s educational landscape. Until these crucial states achieve the goal of universal school education, India cannot afford to attain the status of universalization by 2030 envisaged in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Each state’s progress is vital to this national objective, with populous states like Bihar playing a particularly significant role in determining whether India meets its educational targets on schedule.
Infrastructure and Access
Bihar contributes 6.4% of India’s schools (94,686 out of 1,471,891 nationwide), a figure somewhat proportionate to its share of the nation’s educational system. However, a closer examination reveals substantial disparities in school distribution across educational levels.
Table 1: School Distribution and Infrastructure: UDISEPlus 2023-24
| Indicator | Bihar | All India | % Bihar to All India |
| Number of Schools | 94,686 | 1,471,891 | 6.4% |
| School Distribution (% of Total Schools) | |||
| Primary | 44.0% | 50.0% | – |
| Upper Primary | 42.7% | 29.4% | – |
| Secondary | 2.0% | 9.8% | – |
| Higher Secondary | 11.2% | 10.8% | – |
| Schools with Zero Enrolment | 117 | 12,954 | 0.9% |
| Average Enrolment per School | 225 | 169 | – |
| Percentage of Small Schools (Enrolment < 50) | 8.8% | 34.9% | – |
| Single-Teacher Schools | 2,637 | 110,971 | 2.4% |
| Enrolment in Single-Teacher Schools | 291,127 | 3,994,097 | 7.3% |
While Bihar has a higher proportion of upper primary schools (42.7% compared to the national average of 29.4%), it shows a striking deficiency in secondary education, with only 2% of its schools at the secondary level compared to the national average of 9.8%.
This imbalanced distribution indicates a severe bottleneck in educational progression, with significantly fewer opportunities for students to advance beyond elementary education within their communities. The average Enrolment per school in Bihar (225) exceeds the national average (169), suggesting higher student density and potential resource strain in existing facilities.
Teacher Distribution and Quality
The data reveals concerning patterns in teacher allocation and qualifications. Bihar accounts for 6.7% of India’s teaching workforce (657,063 out of 9,807,600), roughly proportional to its share of schools.
Table 2: Teacher Distribution and Quality: UDISEPlus 2023-24
| Indicator | Bihar | All India | % Bihar to All India |
| Number of Teachers | 657,063 | 9,807,600 | 6.7% |
| % Female Teachers | 42.4% | 53.3% | – |
| Teachers by level (% of Total Teachers) | |||
| Primary | 23.9% | 24.0% | – |
| Upper Primary | 54.7% | 28.6% | – |
| Secondary | 3.2% | 16.2% | – |
| Higher Secondary | 18.2% | 31.1% | – |
| Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) | |||
| Primary | 32 | 21 | – |
| Upper Primary | 19 | 18 | – |
| Secondary | 30 | 16 | – |
| Higher Secondary | 31 | 24 | – |
| All Schools | 32 | 25 | – |
| Teacher Qualifications | |||
| % Trained Teachers (Primary) | 89.5% | 91.7% | – |
| % Trained Teachers (Upper Primary) | 87.1% | 92.0% | – |
| % Professionally Qualified (Primary) | 86.4% | 88.2% | – |
| % Professionally Qualified (Upper Primary) | 83.5% | 89.0% | – |
| Average Teacher per School | 7 | 7 | – |
| Teachers in Schools Having Zero Enrolment | 544 | 31,981 | – |
The gender composition of this workforce shows a significant imbalance, with female teachers constituting just 42.4% compared to the national average of 53.3%, potentially impacting girls’ education and role modelling.
The distribution of teachers across educational levels presents additional concerns. While Bihar’s allocation of primary teachers (23.9%) aligns with the national average (24%), there is a dramatic overconcentration at the upper primary level (54.7% versus 28.6% nationally) and severe underrepresentation at secondary (3.2% versus 16.2% nationally) and higher secondary levels (18.2% versus 31.1% nationally). This skewed distribution likely contributes to the high pupil-teacher ratios observed at secondary (30:1 versus 16:1 nationally) and higher secondary levels (31:1 versus 24:1 nationally).
On a positive note, the percentage of trained teachers in Bihar shows reasonable alignment with national averages at both primary (89.5% versus 91.7%) and upper primary levels (87.1% versus 92%). Similarly, professionally qualified teachers at these levels (86.4% for primary and 83.5% for upper primary) approach national figures (88.2% and 89%, respectively). However, 544 teachers in schools with zero Enrolment raise questions about resource allocation efficiency.
Enrolment Patterns and Educational Progression
Bihar accounts for 8.9% of India’s total school Enrolment (21,020,025 out of 234,963,031 students), decreasing its representation at higher educational levels.
Table 3: Enrolment Patterns and Educational Progression: UDISEPlus 2023-24
| Indicator | Bihar | All India | % Bihar to All India |
| Total Enrolment | 21,020,025 | 234,963,031 | 8.9% |
| Enrolment by Level | |||
| Primary | 11,231,365 | 107,837,711 | 10.4% |
| Upper Primary | 5,645,159 | 63,126,015 | 8.9% |
| Secondary | 2,498,530 | 36,863,791 | 6.8% |
| Higher Secondary | 1,644,971 | 27,135,514 | 6.1% |
| Enrolment by level (% of Total) | |||
| Primary | 54.1% | 48.7% | – |
| Upper Primary | 26.4% | 25.4% | – |
| Secondary | 11.7% | 14.9% | – |
| Higher Secondary | 7.7% | 10.9% | – |
| Gender Parity Index (GPI) | |||
| Primary | 1.02 | 1.03 | – |
| Upper Primary | 1.03 | 1.02 | – |
| Secondary | 1.12 | 1.02 | – |
| Higher Secondary | 1.09 | 1.07 | – |
| Percentage of Girls Enrolment | |||
| Primary | 48.08% | 47.87% | – |
| Upper Primary | 49.30% | 48.15% | – |
| Secondary | 51.39% | 48.21% | – |
| Higher Secondary | 50.80% | 49.62% | – |
| Total Enrolment | 49.01% | 48.20% | – |
The state demonstrates promising gender parity, with GPI exceeding national averages across all levels, particularly at secondary (1.12 versus 1.02) and higher secondary (1.09 versus 1.07) education. Girls’ Enrolment percentages are consistently comparable to or higher than national averages across all levels.
However, Enrolment metrics reveal profound challenges in educational access and progression, as shown in the following table:
Table 4: Educational Access and Progression Indicators: UDISEPlus 2023-24
| Indicator | Bihar | All India |
| Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) | ||
| Primary | 83.4% | 93.0% |
| Upper Primary | 68.4% | 89.7% |
| Secondary | 45.6% | 77.4% |
| Higher Secondary | 30.0% | 56.2% |
| Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) | ||
| Primary | 70.3% | 79.0% |
| Upper Primary | 48.1% | 66.0% |
| Secondary | 27.8% | 48.3% |
| Higher Secondary | 16.2% | 33.8% |
| Adjusted NER | ||
| Primary | 77.1% | 85.9% |
| Upper Primary | 54.8% | 76.2% |
| Secondary | 37.5% | 60.5% |
Bihar’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) falls significantly below national averages across all levels, with the gap widening dramatically at higher levels: 83.4% versus 93% at primary, 68.4% versus 89.7% at upper primary, 45.6% versus 77.4% at secondary, and just 30% versus 56.2% at higher secondary.
Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) figures show even more concerning disparities: 70.3% versus 79% at primary, 48.1% versus 66% at upper primary, 27.8% versus 48.3% at secondary, and 16.2% versus 33.8% at higher secondary. These figures indicate that a substantial proportion of Bihar’s school-age population remains outside the educational system, particularly at higher levels.
Retention and Progression Challenges
The dropout rates in Bihar represent perhaps the most alarming aspect of the data, with figures that are several times the national averages.
Table 5: Retention and Progression Challenges: UDISEPlus 2023-24
| Indicator | Bihar | All India |
| Dropout Rates | ||
| Primary | 8.9% | 1.9% |
| Upper Primary | 25.9% | 5.2% |
| Secondary | 25.6% | 14.1% |
| Transition Rates | ||
| Primary to Upper Primary | 63.2% | 88.8% |
| Upper Primary to Secondary | 31.5% | 83.3% |
| Secondary to Higher Secondary | 46.2% | 71.5% |
| Retention Rates | ||
| Age 6 to 10 | 104.1% | 85.4% |
| Age 11 to 13 | 79.2% | 78.0% |
| Age 14 to 15 | 56.7% | 63.8% |
| Age 16 to 17 | 29.4% | 45.6% |
| Age-Specific Enrolment Ratios | ||
| Age 6 to 10 | 75.4% | 85.3% |
| Age 11 to 13 | 65.5% | 89.2% |
| Age 14 to 15 | 49.6% | 77.0% |
| Age 16 to 17 | 24.7% | 75.5% |
These high attrition rates severely undermine educational continuity, with 8.9% versus 1.9% at primary, 25.9% versus 5.2% at upper primary, and 25.6% versus 14.1% at secondary levels.
Transition rates between educational levels further illuminate this challenge: only 63.2% of students transition from primary to upper primary (versus 88.8% nationally), a mere 31.5% from upper primary to secondary (versus 83.3% nationally), and 46.2% from secondary to higher secondary (versus 71.5% nationally); this represents a massive loss of human potential at each educational threshold.
Age-specific Enrolment ratios show progressive deterioration with advancing age cohorts: 75.4% for ages 6-10 (versus 85.3% nationally), 65.5% for ages 11-13 (versus 89.2% nationally), 49.6% for ages 14-15 (versus 77% nationally), and just 24.7% for ages 16-17 (versus 75.5% nationally). This pattern suggests that less than a quarter of Bihar’s youth receive higher secondary education.
Equity and Inclusion
Bihar demonstrates meaningful inclusion of marginalized communities across various demographic categories.
Table 6: Equity and Inclusion Indicators: UDISEPlus 2023-24
| Indicator | Bihar | All India |
| % of SC, ST, OBC and Muslim Minority Enrolment | ||
| SC | 18.9% | 18.0% |
| ST | 1.9% | 9.9% |
| Muslim Minority | 18.8% | 15.8% |
| OBC | 64.4% | 18.8% |
SC Enrolment (18.9%) slightly exceeds the national average (18%). However, ST Enrolment (1.9%) falls significantly below the national figure (9.9%), likely reflecting the state’s demographic composition. Muslim minority Enrolment (18.8%) exceeds the national average (15.8%), and OBC Enrolment (64.4%) far surpasses the national figure (18.8%), indicating significant representation of socially disadvantaged groups within the educational system.
Infrastructure and Digital Divide
Basic infrastructure shows reasonable progress, but digital access remains a significant challenge.
Table 7: Infrastructure and Digital Access: UDISEPlus 2023-24
| Indicator | Bihar | All India |
| Infrastructure Indicators | ||
| Functional Toilets (All Schools) | 94.2% | 95.4% |
| Drinking Water | 95.5% | 98.4% |
| Computers (All Schools) | 19.6% | 57.2% |
| Functional Computers | 18.4% | 50.9% |
| Internet Access | 18.5% | 53.9% |
| ICT Labs (Secondary Schools) | 23.0% | 55.9% |
| Functional CWSN Toilets | 14.7% | 32.2% |
| Library/Reading Corner | 60.3% | 89.0% |
While functional toilets (94.2%) and drinking water availability (95.5%) approach national averages (95.4% and 98.4%, respectively), specialized infrastructure for children with special needs lags significantly, with functional CWSN toilets available in only 14.7% of schools compared to 32.2% nationally.
The digital divide remains stark, with computers available in only 19.6% of Bihar’s schools (versus 57.2% nationally), functional computers in 18.4% (versus 50.9% nationally), and internet access in just 18.5% (versus 53.9% nationally). Similarly, ICT labs in secondary schools (23%) fall far below the national average (55.9%). Library or reading corners (60.3%) also lag behind the national figure (89%), limiting access to reading resources.
Critical Challenges and Recommendations
Based on this comprehensive analysis, several critical challenges emerge for Bihar’s educational system:
- Educational Progression Bottleneck: The severe shortage of secondary schools and secondary-level teachers creates a structural barrier to educational advancement. Expanding secondary education infrastructure and teacher allocation should be an urgent priority.
- Retention Crisis: Extraordinarily high dropout and low transition rates demand immediate intervention through targeted retention strategies, financial support mechanisms, and programs addressing the root causes of educational discontinuation. The dramatic drop in transition rates—particularly from upper primary to secondary level (31.5% versus the national 83.3%)—represents one of the most crucial challenges for Bihar’s educational system.
- Digital Divide: The substantial gap in technology access risks leaving Bihar’s students unprepared for the modern economy. Accelerated investment in digital infrastructure is essential, mainly focusing on:
- Increasing computer availability beyond the current 19.6% of schools
- Expanding internet connectivity from the current 18.5% coverage
- Establishing more ICT labs in secondary schools, currently at only 23% compared to the national 55.9%
- Teacher Distribution Imbalance: The skewed allocation of teachers across educational levels requires comprehensive rebalancing to ensure adequate human resources at secondary and higher secondary levels. The current concentration of 54.7% of teachers at the upper primary level while only 3.2% at the secondary level creates a severe staffing imbalance that undermines educational quality at higher levels.
- Age-Appropriate Enrolment: The declining age-specific Enrolment ratios indicate significant out-of-school populations at higher age cohorts, necessitating specialized programs for educational re-entry and acceleration. The stark contrast between Enrolment ratios for ages 6-10 (75.4%) and ages 16-17 (24.7%) demonstrates the progressive leakage in the educational pipeline.
- Infrastructure for Inclusive Education: While basic infrastructure shows improvement, facilities for children with special needs remain inadequate. The availability of functional CWSN toilets in only 14.7% of schools creates barriers to inclusive education and requires targeted investment.
- Secondary Education Crisis: The combined effects of limited secondary schools (2% of Bihar’s schools versus 9.8% nationally), high dropout rates at the secondary level (25.6%), and low transition rates to secondary education (31.5%) create a severe bottleneck that prevents most students from completing 12 years of schooling.
Concluding Observations
The UDISE+ 2023-24 data reveals both encouraging developments and profound challenges in Bihar’s educational landscape. While the state demonstrates reasonable progress in basic infrastructure, teacher training, and gender parity, it faces severe shortcomings in educational progression, retention, and technological readiness.
The stark disparities in dropout rates, transition percentages, and age-specific Enrolment emphasize the need for targeted interventions that address the specific bottlenecks in Bihar’s educational pipeline. Without addressing these challenges, a significant proportion of Bihar’s youth will continue to exit the educational system prematurely, compromising their life opportunities and the state’s human capital development.
Bihar’s situation presents several paradoxes that require careful consideration:
- Despite having proportionately more schools at the upper primary level (42.7% versus 29.4% nationally), transition rates from primary to upper primary remain low (63.2% versus 88.8% nationally).
- Despite achieving reasonable gender parity in Enrolment, overall Enrolment rates fall drastically at higher educational levels.
- While Bihar has comparable or higher representation of marginalized communities in its educational system, these students face substantial barriers to completing their education.
This state-specific analysis underscores why a granular approach to educational planning is imperative. The disparities between Bihar’s metrics and national averages highlight how national policies must be adaptable to regional contexts. As we continue this analytical series with other crucial states, patterns of shared challenges and unique obstacles will emerge, informing a more nuanced approach to achieving universal school education across India.
Only through such comprehensive and targeted efforts can Bihar progress toward universal quality education for all children, which is essential for India to achieve the universalization targets outlined in NEP 2020. Without substantial improvement in Bihar’s educational outcomes, India’s national educational goals will remain aspirational rather than achievable.
Key Priorities for Intervention
Based on this analysis, the following priorities emerge for Bihar’s educational policy:
- Secondary Education Expansion: Urgent investment in secondary school infrastructure to address the severe shortage and reduce the bottleneck in educational progression.
- Dropout Prevention Programs: Targeted interventions to address the extraordinarily high dropout rates, particularly at upper primary (25.9%) and secondary (25.6%) levels.
- Teacher Rebalancing Initiative: Strategic reallocation of teachers to address the severe underrepresentation at secondary (3.2%) and higher secondary (18.2%) levels.
- Digital Access Campaign: Accelerated investment in computers, internet connectivity, and ICT infrastructure to bridge the substantial digital divide.
- Transition Support Mechanisms: Focused programs to improve the alarmingly low transition rates from upper primary to secondary education (31.5%).
- Inclusive Infrastructure Development: Enhanced investment in facilities for children with special needs, particularly CWSN toilets, currently available in only 14.7% of schools.
- Age-Appropriate Enrolment: Special programs targeting the 16-17 age group, where Enrolment rates (24.7%) fall drastically below the national average (75.5%).
Addressing these priorities will require coordinated efforts among state and national educational authorities, targeted funding allocation, and innovative approaches to educational delivery that respond to Bihar’s unique challenges and demographic characteristics
Frequently Asked Questions: Bihar’s Educational System Analysis based on UDISEPlus 2023-24 Data
General Understanding
Q1: Why is analysing Bihar’s educational data important for India’s national educational goals?
A: Bihar, with approximately 10% of India’s population and a predominantly young demographic, significantly impacts national educational averages. As one of India’s most populous states, Bihar’s progress or educational challenges directly affect India’s ability to achieve the universalization targets set in NEP 2020. India cannot meet its 2030 educational goals without substantial improvements in states like Bihar.
Q2: What does the state-specific approach to educational analysis reveal that national aggregates miss?
A: A state-specific approach reveals regional disparities, unique socio-economic contexts, and state-specific implementation challenges that national averages obscure. It allows for identifying targeted interventions appropriate to Bihar’s circumstances rather than one-size-fits-all solutions that might not address the state’s distinct educational ecosystem.
Educational Access and Infrastructure
Q3: How does Bihar’s school distribution across educational levels compare to national patterns?
A: Bihar shows a disproportionate distribution of schools across levels. While upper primary schools (42.7%) exceed the national average (29.4%), there is a severe shortage of secondary schools (2% compared to the national average of 9.8%); this creates a significant bottleneck in educational progression beyond elementary education.
Q4: What is Bihar’s digital infrastructure status, and why is it concerning?
A: Bihar faces a substantial digital divide, with only 19.6% of schools having computers (versus 57.2% nationally), 18.4% having functional computers (versus 50.9% nationally), and 18.5% having internet access (versus 53.9% nationally). This gap risks leaving Bihar’s students digitally unprepared for higher education and the modern workforce, potentially widening socio-economic disparities.
Teachers and Educational Quality
Q5: What does the teacher distribution in Bihar reveal about educational priorities?
A: The teacher distribution reveals a significant imbalance, with overconcentration at the upper primary level (54.7% versus 28.6% nationally) and severe underrepresentation at secondary (3.2% versus 16.2% nationally) and higher secondary levels (18.2% versus 31.1% nationally). This skewed allocation likely contributes to the bottlenecks in educational progression at higher levels.
Q6: How qualified are Bihar’s teachers compared to national standards?
A: Bihar’s teachers show reasonable qualification levels, with trained teachers at the primary (89.5%) and upper primary (87.1%) levels approaching national averages (91.7% and 92%, respectively). Similarly, professionally qualified teachers (86.4% at primary and 83.5% at upper primary) are comparable to national figures (88.2% and 89%), though still slightly lower.
Enrolment and Retention
Q7: What do Enrolment patterns reveal about educational access in Bihar?
A: Enrolment patterns show a progressive decline in Bihar’s representation in national Enrolment from primary (10.4%) to higher secondary (6.1%) levels, indicating significant leakage in the educational pipeline. The substantial gaps between Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) figures suggest age-inappropriate Enrolment and substantial out-of-school populations.
Q8: What is the most concerning aspect of Bihar’s educational retention data?
A: The most alarming retention indicators are Bihar’s dropout rates, which vastly exceed national averages: 8.9% versus 1.9% at primary, 25.9% versus 5.2% at upper primary, and 25.6% versus 14.1% at secondary levels. Coupled with extremely low transition rates—particularly from upper primary to secondary (31.5% versus 83.3% nationally) – these figures reveal a major crisis in educational continuity.
Equity and Inclusion
Q9: How inclusive is Bihar’s educational system for marginalized communities?
A: Bihar shows meaningful inclusion of marginalized communities, with SC Enrolment (18.9%) slightly exceeding the national average, Muslim minority Enrolment (18.8%) above the national average (15.8%), and exceptionally high OBC Enrolment (64.4% versus 18.8% nationally). However, ST Enrolment (1.9%) falls well below the national average (9.9%), likely reflecting demographic composition.
Q10: What does the Gender Parity Index (GPI) data suggest about girls’ education in Bihar?
A: Surprisingly, Bihar demonstrates substantial gender parity, with GPI figures exceeding national averages across all levels, particularly at secondary (1.12 versus 1.02 nationally) and higher secondary (1.09 versus 1.07 nationally) education, this suggests that for students who remain in the educational system, gender disparities in access have been substantially addressed.
Policy Implications
Q11: What should be the top priority for improving Bihar’s educational outcomes?
A: Based on the data, the top priority should be addressing the severe educational progression bottleneck by expanding secondary education infrastructure and proportionally increasing teacher allocation at this level; this must be accompanied by targeted interventions to reduce the extraordinarily high dropout rates and improve transition between educational levels.
Q12: How might Bihar’s educational challenges impact its economic development?
A: The educational challenges—particularly the high dropout rates, low secondary school Enrolment, and digital divide—risk creating a substantial skills gap in Bihar’s workforce. With less than a quarter of youth completing higher secondary education and limited digital preparation, a significant portion of Bihar’s population may lack the educational foundation required for higher-skill employment, potentially constraining economic growth and perpetuating poverty cycles.
Q13: What does the UDISE+ data suggest about implementing NEP 2020 in Bihar?
A: The data suggests significant challenges for implementing NEP 2020 in Bihar. Given the state’s current infrastructure gaps, high dropout rates, and digital divide, the policy’s emphasis on universal secondary education, digital learning, and seamless educational progression appears challenging. Meeting NEP 2020 targets will require accelerated investment and targeted interventions beyond standard implementation approaches.
