Bihar Govt Announces 35% Reservation for women in Govt Jobs: Know details.
Bihar Govt Announces 35% Quota for Women in Govt Jobs in cabinet meeting headed by chief minister on 8th July 2025, in all government jobs across the state of Bihar.
This policy move comes ahead of 2025 Bihar legislative assembly election l, scheduled in end of the 2025.
Who will be benefited by This Bihar Govt Announces 35% Quota for Women in Govt Jobs ?
- Native/ domiciled women of Bihar applying for direct recruitment in government services from class 1 to class 4.
- The quota applies across General, ST, SC, OBC and EWS categories – 35% of jobs in each will be reserved for women within that category.
- For example, if there has to 100 general category seats available than from 100 , 35 must be reserved for general category women and same for other categories so it’s horizontal reservation.
What are the goals behind this 35% Quota for women in Govt Jobs policy?
1. Women empowerment
- Bihar constantly remains low in women lebour force participation rate ( less than 15 %) in the India, so to increase women participation in formal employment.
2. To address gender unequality
- This reservation for women policy bridge the gap in the government workforce specially in administration, police, health and education.
- More women in such critical forces make governance more suitable for vulnerable and more caring in nature.
3. Social inclusion
- Encourages backward women and minorities women to join government services which is more secure and status of Pride.
- If seats will be reserved within ST category than tribal woman will be empower.
4. Electoral masterstroke
- This reservation policy seen as a electoral stretegy to secure the votes of the women , who remain major voting bloc for the CM Nitish Kumar historically, via women friendly policies and schemes .
Some Women friendly policies and schemes of CM Nitish Kumar…
- Mukhyamantri Kanya utthan yojna
- Cycle yojna for girls
- Free school uniforms and sanitary pads for girl students
- 50 % reservation for women in panchayat institutions from 2006
- 35% quota for women in police jobs in 2011
- Nitish saat Nishchay programme focused on women education and skill development in 2015
- 2023 backward class and caste based reservation given to 65 %
- 35% women reservation in all government jobs in 2025
Why women quota needed? Some facts to ponder over…
- Female workforce participation rate in Bihar (2023) : 11 – 13 % which is lowest among all the states in India
- Share of women in Bihar police: 5% in 2011 to 21% in 2024 due to 35% women reservation in police jobs
- Projected benifit: more than 1.5 lakhs jobs could be reserved for women in upcoming recruitment cycles
35% Quota for Women in Govt Jobs implementation details…
- Notification : to be issued soon via General Administration Department (GAD)
- Domicile requirment: only those women who has bihar residence certificate are eligible
- Applicable sectors: All Public departments like Police, Health, Education, Revenue etc.
- Department for monitoring: likely to be BPSC (Bihar public service commission)
Political differences may create via 35% Quota for women in Govt Jobs…
- CM Nitish Kumar’s party JDU seeks to attract its core women voter base.
- BJP who is with alliance with JDU will support the quota decision .
- The move may neutralize opposition alliance of RJD- Left – Congress blog, who rely on minorities and backward classes votes.
- This move also neutralize negative image of the Bihar Government’s latest recruitment controversy where police lathi charged on aspirants.
What are the criticism this 35%Quota for women in Govt Jobs decision will face ?
- Tokenism or free revadi politics : Critics argues rhat this is an electoral stunt which lacks long term institutional support
- Implementation delay: Bihar has long infamous history of delayed recruitment , vacated positions, and flawed exams
- Urban rural differences: Women from rural or Muslim community may not able to compete with urban women and hence rural women may face debarment in the jobs .
Other states in India also have some women friendly policies so supporters say this is nothing new and should be welcomed..
Bihar : 35% quota for women in all government jobs
Madhya Pradesh: 33% quota for women in police force
Rajasthan: 30% quota for women
Tamilnadu: promotes women friendly policies
Kerala: women labour force participation rate is more than 40% (highest in India)