The Bihar Education Department has implemented a series of reforms in the past two months under the leadership of senior IAS officer K K Pathak, including the introduction of a new app for marking attendance, the use of Google Sheets to record midday meal attendance, increased inspections at schools, and the directive for employees at the Patna headquarters.
A dispute has arisen between state Education Minister Chandra Shekhar and the ACS, with the former reportedly upset that he was not consulted about some decisions. The disagreement became public last week when the minister’s office and department officials exchanged critical letters.
The minister and the ACS have been urged to resolve their differences internally rather than through the media, and to work closely together.
The ACS’s initiatives have caused concern among government teachers, with some feeling that there is too much interference but others seeing the potential for exposure to new technology, improved meal quality, and increased attendance.
New initiatives have been introduced in over 65,000 primary and middle schools in Bihar, including the use of Google Sheets for midday meal numbers and the calculation of meal ration allocation based on student attendance.
Inspections at schools have been increased, with officials from outside the education department also conducting checks. An app has been introduced for marking attendance, and retired teachers are being enlisted to assist with data collection.
The state government has distributed kitchen equipment to schools and enacted a dress code for employees at the education department offices.
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