Patna: A fresh political controversy has emerged in Bihar after questions were raised over the academic qualifications of state minister Dr Ashok Choudhary, following his selection as an assistant professor. The row intensified after his appointment at A.N. College, with the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alleging that his degree was fraudulent. The Congress party had earlier questioned the authenticity of his PhD qualification, adding further momentum to the debate. He has strongly denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of a long-running recruitment process for assistant professors in Bihar’s universities, launched nearly five years ago. The Bihar University Service Commission advertised 280 posts, with results announced on July 4 2025. A list of 274 successful candidates was submitted to the education department on August 1. During scrutiny, officials reportedly identified irregularities related to appointments in the political science discipline, leading to a temporary halt in the process and opening the door to political scrutiny.
At the centre of the dispute are differences in the minister’s name across various documents. Education department officials noted that some certificates listed him as Ashok Kumar while others used Ashok Choudhary. Seeking clarification, the director of higher education wrote to the Bihar University Service Commission on January 1, 2026. Documents including an award certificate from Magadh University and a research article titled Political Awakening of Dalits in Indian Political System reportedly carry the name Ashok Kumar alias Ashok Choudhary, while his caste certificate also references both names.
The commission has stated that both names refer to the same individual and said there is no evidence of forgery. Nonetheless, the controversy deepened after the final selection list placed him tenth under the Scheduled Caste quota for political science. Congress leaders argued that his name did not appear among the 18 candidates who ultimately received appointment letters, with party spokesperson Asitnath Tiwari claiming the episode reflects unfairness toward unemployed youth seeking academic posts.
As political exchanges escalated, Bihar education minister Sunil Kumar told the state assembly that the case had been referred back to the commission for opinion after certain shortcomings were identified in the submitted documents. For now, the appointment remains on hold. Despite official clarification from the commission, the dispute continues to dominate political debate in the state, underscoring how academic recruitment has become entangled with Bihar’s wider political rivalries.
