Bihar Cabinet Approves Major Scholarship Boost for Backward Classes, Pre-Matric Rates Doubled

The Bihar government, under the leadership of Honorable Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar, has approved unprecedented financial resources for students from the backward and extremely backward classes of the state, reiterating its commitment to "development with justice." The Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister approved three historic decisions for the educational empowerment of students.

These decisions, taken at the Honorable Chief Minister's initiative, will remove financial barriers to education. The key decisions are as follows:

1. Pre-Matric Scholarship Rates Doubled (Effective Date: 01.04.2025): On the Chief Minister's instructions, the rates for the "Chief Minister's Backward Class and Extremely Backward Class Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme" have been significantly increased. Students will now receive double the amount:

• Classes 1 to 4: Now ₹1200/- annually (revised).

• Classes 5 to 6: Now ₹2400/- annually (revised).

• Classes 7 to 10: Now ₹3600/- per year (revised).

• Hostellers Classes 1 to 10: Now ₹6000/- per year (revised). The State Government will now incur an annual expenditure of approximately ₹1751 crore on this scheme.

2. 100% increase in hostel grant amount (effective date: 01.01.2026): In line with the Chief Minister's visionary thinking, the amount of the 'Chief Minister Backward Class and Extremely Backward Class Hostel Grant Scheme' has been increased from ₹1000/- to ₹2000/- per month to support students studying in the Jananayak Karpuri Thakur Hostel and Other Backward Class Hostels. This increase will be effective from January 1, 2026 and will directly benefit approximately 8,150 students.

3. Increase in income limit for scholarship: To ensure that no meritorious student is deprived of the benefits, the eligibility criteria for the "Chief Minister Backward Class Scholarship Scheme" have been liberalized on the Chief Minister's instructions. The annual family income limit for parents has now been increased from ₹1.50 lakh to ₹3.00 lakh.

The Honorable Minister of the Department, Mrs. Rama Nishad, expressed her gratitude to the Honorable Chief Minister for these welfare decisions and said that these decisions will prove to be a milestone in the upliftment of the backward classes of the state.