From Nalanda to Nowhere: The Great Betrayal of Bihar’s Youth

– Abdul Quadir

There was a time, recorded in the great histories of the world, when Bihar was the global capital of knowledge. Known then as Magadha, it was home to legendary universities like Nalanda and Vikramshila, drawing the brightest minds from across Asia to its vibrant centres of learning. This golden past now feels like a distant, almost mythical story, because modern reality is a heart-breaking betrayal of that legacy. Today, the most powerful image of education in Bihar is not a classroom, but a train packed to the brim with young students. They are not visitors coming to learn; they are Bihar’s own children, forced to flee their home state in a desperate search for quality education and opportunities they cannot find at home, heading for cities like Delhi, Pune, or Bengaluru.

This mass departure is not a choice, but a necessity. It is a silent crisis born from decades of political neglect, where the difficult, long-term work of building a strong education system has been consistently ignored in favour of the short-term gains of identity-based politics. As a result, student migration has become the only reliable path to a better life. This is a profound failure of governance, a story of a state that is effectively outsourcing its most sacred responsibility: to build a future for its youth.

From a Glorious Past to a Failing Present

To truly understand the depth of Bihar’s current crisis, one must first appreciate the incredible heights from which it has fallen. The ancient universities of Magadha were not small religious schools; they were massive, state-funded international institutions that set the global standard for higher learning. Their success was built on a simple, powerful idea: that a government’s greatest investment is in the minds of its people.

Nalanda: The World’s First Great University For nearly 800 years, starting around 427 CE, Nalanda was the world’s premier residential university. At its zenith, it was a bustling academic city, home to an estimated 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers. Its curriculum was astonishingly comprehensive, covering not just Buddhist philosophy but also secular subjects like medicine, mathematics, astronomy, logic, and the Vedas. This holistic approach attracted scholars from as far away as China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet, who travelled for months, even years, to study there. The university was sustained by the generous support of emperors who understood that knowledge was the bedrock of a powerful and respected civilization.

Vikramshila: A Centre for Specialised Learning Founded in the late 8th century by King Dharmapala of the Pala dynasty, Vikramshila was established near modern-day Bhagalpur to complement Nalanda. It quickly developed its own unique identity, becoming a world-renowned centre for the Tantric school of Buddhism. Its design was a marvel of architecture, with a grand central stupa surrounded by 108 temples and six colleges, laid out like the petals of a lotus. The university’s library was an engineering masterpiece, featuring a water-based cooling system to protect its vast collection of priceless and fragile manuscripts from the heat. Vikramshila played a crucial role in shaping the culture of Tibet, producing legendary scholars like Atisha Dipankara, who was instrumental in spreading Buddhism across the Himalayas.

These institutions were part of a thriving ecosystem of knowledge, supported by a political class that saw higher education as a strategic priority. This historical model of governance, which attracted the world’s talent to Bihar, stands in tragic and stark contrast to the current political reality, which forces Bihar’s own talent to leave.

The Hard Facts: A Look at the Educational Crisis

The decline of Bihar’s higher education system is not just a feeling; it is a harsh reality proven by cold, hard numbers. A detailed look at the data reveals a system that is failing on every important measure, from access and infrastructure to the quality of teaching itself.

Not Enough Seats in College

The most basic measure of educational access is the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), which tells us what percentage of young people between the ages of 18 and 23 are actually enrolled in higher education. In this area, Bihar is at the very bottom. In 2021-22, Bihar’s GER was shockingly low 17.1%, far behind the national average of 28.4%.

This gap becomes a chasm when compared to the states where Bihar’s students are forced to migrate. The numbers tell a story of deeply unequal opportunity.

(Source: Ministry of Education, CEIC Data, 2021)

This data means that a young person in Delhi or Chandigarh is roughly three to four times more likely to be attending college than their counterpart in Bihar. This isn’t just a statistic; it’s a closed door for millions of young Biharis, forcing them to look for opportunities elsewhere.

Old Buildings and Missing Labs

The reason for the low GER is simple: there are not nearly enough quality colleges to serve Bihar’s massive young population. This has created a terrible paradox of classrooms that are both overcrowded and academically empty.

Source: All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22)

With just seven colleges for every one lakh eligible people, Bihar’s institutional density is less than a quarter of the national average and a fraction of a progressive state like Karnataka. This forces an enormous number of students an average of 2,088 per college into the few available institutions. This is nearly three times the national average of 789 students per college, putting an unbearable strain on already crumbling resources.

The condition of these overcrowded colleges is often appalling. Surveys have found that 21% of institutions in Bihar have no laboratories, and a shocking 44% of colleges do not have computer centres. Basic facilities that are essential for a modern learning environment, like cafeterias or even separate, clean restrooms for female students, are often missing or in a state of disrepair. An agency, the BSEIDC, was created in 2010 to fix this, but the problems persist, showing that the efforts have been too little, too late.

A Shortage of Teachers

The crisis in physical infrastructure is matched by a crisis in human capital. Bihar’s colleges and universities are plagued by a severe and chronic shortage of qualified teachers, leading to one of the worst Pupil-Teacher Ratios (PTR) in the country. Data from 2019-20 revealed a PTR of approximately 58 students for every one teacher in higher education. This is more than double the all-India average of 23:1 and is a clear sign of deep neglect, especially when compared to recent improvements made at the school level in Bihar. To fill the gaps, the system relies heavily on “guest faculty.” These teachers, while qualified, are treated poorly. They are paid a meagre honorarium of Rs 1,500 per class, with their monthly income capped and paid for only 11 months a year, leaving them in a constant state of insecurity. When the government does try to hire permanent teachers, the process is painfully slow, leaving hundreds of guest lecturers in limbo and leading to protests that disrupt the academic calendar.

Missing from the National Rankings

The ultimate proof of this systemic failure is Bihar’s complete absence from national rankings of excellence. The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is the Indian government’s official tool for assessing the quality of universities. An analysis of the 2024 rankings paints a bleak picture. In the top 200 universities, not a single state-run university from Bihar is present. The only institution from the state to make the list is a centrally funded agricultural university.

This pattern holds true across all fields. In engineering, only the centrally managed IIT Patna and NIT Patna appear on the list; the state’s own engineering colleges are nowhere to be found. This has created a two-tiered system: a few islands of central excellence for a tiny, fortunate elite, floating in a vast ocean of state-level mediocrity that serves the masses. The state has focused on just getting more students on the rolls, without investing in the quality of the education they receive. This produces degrees with little value in the job market, making migration the only logical choice.

Why Leaving is the Only Option for Ambitious Students

The failures documented in Bihar’s higher education system are not just statistics on a page; they have a real-world consequence: the mass migration of the state’s most talented and ambitious young people. This “brain drain” is not a luxury or a choice born of wanderlust; it is a rational decision forced upon them by a state that has failed to provide viable local alternatives. Census data has long shown that Bihar is one of the largest sources of migrants in India. While many migrate for labour, a growing number are leaving for one reason: education. Studies confirm that the lack of good colleges is a primary “push” factor driving students out of Bihar.

The push from within is relentless: crumbling infrastructure, a severe shortage of good teachers, outdated syllabi that don’t prepare students for modern jobs, and a non-existent research culture.

In stark contrast, the “pull” of metropolitan centres like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru is overwhelming. These cities offer what Bihar doesn’t: nationally ranked universities, modern facilities, a wide variety of industry-relevant courses, a competitive academic atmosphere, and, most critically, strong connections to the job market.

The decision to migrate is, therefore, a calculated economic one. Students and their families understand that a degree from a local, unranked college in Bihar is a risky investment that is likely to lead to unemployment. The cost of moving to another state, while much higher, is seen as a sound investment in their future. A degree from a recognised institution in a major city has far greater value and offers a much higher chance of securing a good job, leading to better lifetime earnings. This is why even families with modest incomes are willing to take on the financial burden of migration; they know it is the most logical path to a better life. The state’s failure has created a perverse reality where the smartest thing its brightest citizens can do is leave. In doing so, Bihar loses not only its future human capital but also the millions of rupees that families invest in education money that now fuels the economies of other states.

Politics is the Problem: Why Education is Ignored

The deep-rooted crisis in Bihar’s higher education is not an accident. It is the direct outcome of deliberate political choices made over many decades. The state’s political conversation has been dominated by a short-sighted focus on winning elections by mobilising voters based on their caste and religious identities, while ignoring the substantive, long-term work of building a better future. In this political game, the complex, generational challenge of fixing the education system is always pushed to the side.

How Identity Politics Dominates Elections

Elections in Bihar are, first and foremost, about caste arithmetic. The main strategies of all major political parties be it the RJD, JDU, or BJP revolve around consolidating their core vote banks, such as the Muslim-Yadav (M-Y) combination, Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), Mahadalits, and upper castes. Speeches, slogans, and candidate selections are all carefully designed to appeal to these identities. As a result, election campaigns are filled with talk of caste, religion, and reservations, leaving no room for a serious debate on the quality of universities. While unemployment is often mentioned, it is usually framed as a problem that can be solved by simply promising a certain number of government jobs, a populist promise that is easy to make. The crucial connection that you cannot have sustainable employment without a skilled workforce produced by a good education system is almost never made.

Empty Promises in Party Manifestos

A look at the election manifestos of political parties from the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections shows a consistent pattern of superficial promises. In 2020, the BJP promised 19 lakh jobs and the hiring of 3 lakh teachers. The Congress party promised free education for girls and a monthly unemployment allowance. The RJD-led alliance’s main promise was 10 lakh government jobs. The 2015 elections were similarly dominated by social coalitions and the personalities of leaders, not by detailed policy debates. These promises are like putting a bandage on a deep wound. They address the symptoms of educational failure like unemployment but do nothing to cure the underlying disease of poor institutional quality. They offer politically popular sops like fee waivers and job quotas but are silent on the hard work of reforming university governance, raising academic standards, or building a research culture. There is no vision for how to raise the state’s GER, get colleges accredited, or attract top academic talent.

The Budget Shell Game: Big Numbers, Little Impact

The state government often defends itself by pointing to its large education budget. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, the total budget for “Education, Sports, Arts, and Culture” was an impressive ₹63,335 crore. However, a closer look reveals a deceptive trick that systematically starves higher education.

(Source: Bihar Budget Analysis 2025-26, PRS India)

The data for 2025-26 is revealing. Of the massive ₹63,335 crore allocated to the broad education sector, a tiny ₹5,584 crore just 8.8% was actually set aside for universities. This allows politicians to claim they are prioritising education, while the vast majority of the money goes to school education, which has a much larger and more politically important voter base.

This problem is made worse by shocking financial mismanagement. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, in its 2023-24 report, revealed that the Bihar Education Department had failed to provide official proof of how a colossal ₹12,623.67 crore was spent. This lack of accountability means there is no guarantee the money was used for its intended purpose and points to a high risk of corruption and misuse of funds.

A Strategy That Fuels Migration

The government’s main policy for higher education, the Bihar Student Credit Card (BSCC) Scheme, has ironically made the brain drain worse. The scheme offers education loans of up to ₹4 lakh to students who have passed the 12th grade. While the goal is to help students afford college, in a state with almost no good colleges, the practical effect is that it finances their migration to other states. The BSCC has become a state-sponsored subsidy for students to pay fees to universities in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Delhi. In a tragic irony, Bihar’s own treasury is funding the flight of its best and brightest, a policy that treats a symptom (inability to pay fees) while making the underlying disease (lack of quality local colleges) even worse.

What Needs to Be Done

The journey of Bihar’s higher education from a world leader to a driver of migration is a story of failed politics and broken promises. The evidence is clear: a disastrously low college enrolment rate, a severe shortage of quality institutions and teachers, and a political culture that values short-term electoral gains over long-term investment in its people. To reverse this decades-long decline, Bihar needs more than small changes; it needs a complete shift in how it values, governs, and funds education.

1. Make Education a Political Priority:

The people of Bihar – students, parents, the media, and civil society – must force higher education onto the political stage. Political parties must be pressured to move beyond hollow promises of jobs and present clear, time-bound plans for raising the GER, getting colleges nationally accredited, and improving their rankings.

2. Creating an Independent Education Commission

To break the grip of politics and bureaucracy, Bihar must create a truly independent Higher Education Commission. This body should be run by respected academics, not politicians, and given full authority over hiring faculty, appointing university leaders, and distributing funds. This will protect our universities from political interference.

3. Fund for Excellence, Not Just Existence

The current system of giving grants to universities with no strings attached must end. A large part of government funding should be tied to performance. Institutions that improve their national rankings, produce more research, and have better graduate placement rates should be rewarded. This will create a powerful incentive for all colleges to strive for excellence.

4. Launch a Mission to Hire Teachers

The state must immediately launch a massive, transparent, and merit-based recruitment drive to fill all vacant teaching positions. To attract the best talent, salaries must be competitive, and the insecure status of guest faculty must be resolved by creating a clear path for them to become permanent teachers.

5. Build the Colleges of the Future

A 10-year infrastructure master plan is needed to dramatically increase the number of quality institutions. This means upgrading existing colleges with modern labs, digital libraries, and high-speed internet, and building new, world-class universities in districts that currently have none. The goal should be to raise the number of colleges from the current seven per lakh population towards the national average of 30.

6. Modernise What is Being Taught

University curricula across the state must be completely overhauled. Courses need to be updated to be relevant to today’s industries, with a focus on skills, technology, and interdisciplinary learning. Strong partnerships with companies for internships and guest lectures must be mandatory to ensure that graduates are ready for the job market.

7. Fix the Student Loan Programme

The Bihar Student Credit Card scheme must be transformed from a programme that encourages migration into one that retains talent. This can be done by offering powerful incentives – like lower interest rates or partial loan forgiveness for students who choose to enrol in and graduate from high-performing, accredited universities inside Bihar.

Reviving Bihar’s higher education is not just an academic goal; it is the single most important step towards the state’s economic and social revival. To reclaim the legacy of Nalanda, Bihar’s leaders must look beyond the next election and commit to the long-term vision of building a society based on knowledge. This means rebuilding not just buildings, but a political culture that once again understands that the greatest investment a state can ever make is in the minds of its young people.

[The writer is a Ph.D. Research Scholar (SRF), Department of Social Work, UGC Centre for Advanced Study, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi]