PATNA: Bihar government will soon set up two new minority schools in Kishanganj and Darbhanga district to provide free education to students of minority communities.
According to officials of state education department, the students coming from economically backward sections of the society will be enrolled in these schools, which will provide education and accommodation free of cost. Process of admission will start this month.
As per 2022-23 caste-based survey, among the Minorities Communities, Muslims alone constitute nearly 17.7 per cent of state’s total population. Buddhists constitute nearly 0.08 per cent, Christians 0.06 per cent, and Jains and Sikhs besides other religious groups constitute 0.17 per cent.
“The objective behind running minority residential schools is to provide support to students from economically weaker background and improve enrolment at secondary and senior secondary levels,” a senior official of education department told TNIE.
He said that students from Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Jain, and Parsi communities will be eligible for free education at these schools. In addition to tuition, students will receive free accommodation and basic facilities, the officer remarked.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar approved the proposal at a high-level meeting held last week. The officials of the department said the residential model is designed to provide a safe environment and support overall development, including health and discipline, to students.
The two schools have been established on an experimental basis. If the results are positive, more such schools will be opened in the state. The officials said these schools are part of a broader effort of government to strengthen minority education infrastructure.
State education minister Sunil Kumar said that by opening such schools, government intended to combine free education with residential facilities. “This will reduce drop-out rates and help students continue their studies beyond primary level,” he added.
The minister said that Kishanganj and Darbhanga schools would serve students from nearby districts. 75 per cent of seats in these schools have been reserved for students from rural areas, of which 50 per cent seats have been reserved for girls.
He said the existing reservation policy of the Bihar government for educational institutions will also be followed. Senior officials of the department will monitor admission process to ensure that the purpose of establishing these schools is served.
Darbhanga and Kishanganj districts have sizable population of minority community. While Darbhanga is a part of Mithilanchal, Kishanganj falls under Seemanchal region of the state.