Patna: In a move aimed at increasing women’s participation in governance, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday announced that 35 per cent of all government job vacancies across categories and levels in the state will now be reserved exclusively for women who are permanent residents of Bihar. The landmark decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister in Patna. It marks a major shift in the state’s recruitment policy, which previously allowed women from outside Bihar to also benefit from the 35% reservation quota.
“35% reservation exclusively for women candidates who are original residents of Bihar in direct recruitment to all categories, levels, and types of posts in all state government services,” Nitish Kumar declared. The announcement comes months ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, and is widely seen as a strategic move to strengthen the ruling government’s appeal among women voters, a demographic that has been pivotal in recent state elections.
By restricting the quota to women who are native to Bihar, the government aims to ensure that employment benefits are localized and contribute directly to the state’s socio-economic development. On social media platform X, the Chief Minister emphasized that the policy is designed to promote women’s empowerment and expand their role in public administration. He wrote that the step would help more women “enter the workforce and play a larger role in governance and administration in Bihar.”
Alongside the reservation policy, the Cabinet also approved the formation of the Bihar Youth Commission, a new statutory body focused on youth empowerment. “I am pleased to inform you that to provide more employment opportunities to Bihar’s youth, train them, and make them empowered and capable, the government has decided to constitute the Bihar Youth Commission. The cabinet has given its nod for this today,” Nitish Kumar announced.
The Commission will serve as an advisory body to the government on matters concerning youth development, with responsibilities that include improving access to education, enhancing job readiness, and promoting skill development. It will also coordinate efforts across government departments to implement youth-focused initiatives effectively. Additionally, the body will be responsible for designing programmes to combat social issues such as substance abuse.
“The commission will be tasked with preparing programmes to curb social evils like alcohol and substance abuse and will make recommendations to the government in such matters,” the Chief Minister added. Both initiatives, the job reservation policy and the creation of the Youth Commission, underscore the government’s renewed focus on inclusive growth and its appeal to key voter groups in the run-up to the state elections.
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