Bihar Education Overhaul: Computer Classes, High-Tech Labs And Modern Schools On The Agenda

Patna: Bihar government is preparing to connect the school education of the state with modern technology. According to Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari, it has been proposed to make computer education mandatory for students of classes 6 to 12 from the new academic session of 2027. Along with this, emphasis is also being laid on modernising ICT labs and science laboratories in schools, increasing the facilities of model schools and constructing new school buildings. These schemes were reviewed during a meeting held in Patna in the presence of the Union Education Minister.

How many ICT labs and science labs will be modern?

The Education Minister said that the progress of educational schemes run in Bihar and the assistance received from the Central Government were discussed in the meeting. The status of 3,818 ICT labs in the state was reviewed. Apart from this, it was considered to develop facilities like model schools in more than nine thousand secondary and higher secondary schools. The government aims to connect students with digital education and strengthen technical knowledge at the school level.

The progress of 700 model schools already running in the state was also reviewed. At the same time, there was a need to organise and modernise 10,531 science laboratories. These include laboratories of physics, chemistry and biology. The government wants students to get better opportunities to learn through experiments instead of limiting themselves to bookish knowledge only.

How much money was demanded for new school buildings?

The state government has proposed to construct 1,520 school buildings. According to the minister, land has become available for these schools. A demand of about Rs 2,000 crore has been made for the construction of buildings for primary schools. The Union Education Minister is assured to consider the proposal and make efforts towards allocating funds.

What is PM Shree's plan on schools and Sanskrit education?

In the meeting, there was also discussion on equipping 836 PM Shri Vidyalayas of Bihar with better facilities. Along with this, issues like strengthening of district education and training institutions, the Ulas programme and providing central grants to Sanskrit schools were included. The state government wants to establish Sanskrit Vidyapeeth in every division, where there is a plan to provide education from class 6 to research level in a single campus. It is also proposed to include the education of Vedas, Upanishads and science.

BHU branch and preparation for AI-Robotics education

According to the education minister, the proposal to open a branch of Kashi Hindu University (BHU) in Bihar was also placed before the Union Education Minister. Apart from this, central assistance was sought for the study of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. Under the PM Nutrition Scheme, it was also considered to include chikki and millet in the diet of children and to improve the kitchens of schools.

If the proposal to make computer education compulsory is implemented, students may get the opportunity to learn digital skills from the initial level. However, detailed information related to the resources required for this, availability of teachers and final implementation of the proposal is yet to be revealed.