Bihar to upgrade 55 educational institutions into Centres of Excellence

The Bihar government has decided to develop the state’s old and prestigious educational institutions as Centres of Excellence. Under this initiative, a total of 55 educational institutions have been selected.

Making the announcement on Wednesday in a post on X, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that planned and systematic action is being taken for the upgradation of these prestigious institutions.

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“Instructions have also been given to consult experienced former teachers and students of these institutions and to seek their suggestions before proceeding further,” he added.

Besides, the government has also decided to open degree colleges in every block of the state so that students can conveniently pursue higher education. The Chief Minister said that the establishment of degree colleges in every block of the state will greatly facilitate girls in pursuing higher education.

He said, “Under the fourth resolution, ‘Advanced Education-Bright Future’, of ‘Saat Nishchay 3’ (Seven Resolves 3) programme, it has been decided to open degree colleges in all blocks of the state so that students, especially girls, can conveniently pursue higher education. Even now, out of the state’s 534 blocks, 213 blocks do not have any constituent or affiliated degree college. In this regard, we have directed that in the first phase, degree colleges be opened in all these 213 blocks and that teaching begins by July 2026.”

Nitish Kumar said, “At the same time, developing prestigious educational institutions into Centres of Excellence will make it easier for youth to obtain employment-oriented education and will also restore the glory of these institutions. This will significantly contribute to the all-round development of the state.”

Presenting the state’s budget for 2026-27 on Tuesday, Bihar Finance Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav had said that there is an emphasis on opening degree colleges and engineering colleges in every block, to upgrade district hospitals to super-speciality level.

The Bihar government has allocated a major share of the budget for the education sector. The combined expenditure for the education and higher education departments is estimated at Rs 68,216 crore, which is 19.63 per cent of the total budget estimate.

Among the major projects that would be taken up in the education sector are setting up a model school and a degree college in every block across the state, upgrading the existing reputed educational institutions as the Centres of Excellence, and the construction of a new education city in Bihar.