Patna: The Bihar government has made project-based training mandatory for about 587,000 teachers working in government schools across the state, marking a significant push to improve the quality of school education under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.
The programme will cover teachers in 71,863 primary schools and 9,360 secondary and senior secondary schools. According to the education department, each teacher will undergo 50 hours of training twice a year, delivered mainly through district-level training institutions.
Officials said the move is aimed at strengthening classroom practices, promoting inclusive education and improving student learning outcomes. The department also claimed that government schools in Bihar now have an adequate number of teachers, a situation it says has enabled a renewed focus on quality rather than staffing shortages.
The state highlighted a sharp improvement in the student–teacher ratio over the past two decades. In 2005, there was one teacher for every 65 students; by 2026, the ratio has improved to one teacher for every 29 students. The government said this would improve further once a new round of teacher appointments scheduled for this year is completed.
As part of the reforms, project-based learning will also be introduced for students in government schools from the 2026–27 academic session. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has been asked to prepare teaching and learning materials for the new approach, while District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) have been instructed to make logistical and academic preparations for teacher training.
The central government will provide Rs 63.20 crore to Bihar for training-related activities under the Samagra Shiksha scheme.
Education minister Sunil Kumar said teacher training would now be compulsory twice a year through DIETs, which he described as key institutions for strengthening education at the grassroots level. He said the new training framework would help integrate project-based learning in classrooms and expand the use of modern technology in schools.
In line with the National Education Policy (NEP), teachers in Bihar will also receive mandatory online training in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The requirement will apply not only to government school teachers but also to those working in private and aided schools.
The online courses, to be delivered through the Diksha portal under the Continuous Professional Development programme, will cover digital skills, techno-pedagogy, media literacy, data privacy, financial security, robotics and drone technology. Teachers will be assessed at the end of each module and awarded digital certificates upon successful completion.
Officials said the training would also focus on practical digital safety, including protecting devices, creating strong passwords, identifying online fraud, and using tools such as antivirus software and DigiLocker effectively.
The government said the broader aim of the initiative was to ensure that teachers are equipped to guide students in the responsible use of technology and artificial intelligence. Once trained, teachers will be expected to pass on this knowledge to students, including advice on avoiding unknown links, limiting social media use and understanding its potential impact on mental health.
