Bihar: No Plus Two Classes In Colleges From April 1

The Bihar government recently announced its decision to discontinue plus two (intermediate) classes conducted in colleges affiliated with various universities across the state, as reported by PTI.

Through a notification issued late on Wednesday evening, the Education department conveyed that although such classes had been terminated in Patna University approximately a decade ago, a similar cessation will be implemented in colleges falling under other universities starting from the academic session commencing in April this year.

According to the notification, intermediate education (in all three streams — arts, science and commerce) will now be imparted only in higher secondary schools from the new session.

The Education Department also highlighted that the delinking of intermediate (plus two) from colleges has been suggested in the Universities Act. However, enforcement had been delayed due to insufficient infrastructure and manpower in higher secondary schools. The resolution concerning this matter has already been published in the state gazette.

Notably, the Nitish Kumar government had taken a policy decision in 2007 to phase out intermediate education from colleges, aligning with the National Education Policy (1986/92), and had introduced the 10+2 format for plus two education.

“The department has already developed large-scale infrastructure and recruited 67,961 teachers for higher secondary schools and another 65,737 teachers in secondary schools under a special drive. The government schools are now equipped to handle plus two education”, says the notification.