Patna: Pensions for around 50,000 retired university teachers and staff in Bihar have been halted after the state finance department froze payments over missing documentation, leaving thousands without their January stipends.
The freeze stems from the failure of universities to submit complete utilization certificates — official documents showing that government funds were spent as intended. The finance department had released grants nearly 18 months ago and repeatedly requested the paperwork to verify compliance, but many institutions either failed to respond or provided incomplete records.
Officials say some certificates were submitted but contained errors, preventing approval of pension-related proposals. As a result, payments for retired staff across several public universities remain in limbo.
The higher education department had forwarded a proposal to resume pensions, but without valid documentation the file stalled. Approximately 50,000 former teachers and employees from universities and affiliated colleges across Bihar have not received their January pensions, sources confirmed.
A departmental spokesperson said pensions would only be released for institutions that submit accurate and complete certificates, and that reminders were being sent daily. Universities affected include Patna University, Patliputra University, Magadh University, Veer Kunwar Singh University, Jai Prakash University, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University, Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University, B.N. Mandal University, Purnia University, Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University, Munger University and Maulana Mazharul Haq Arabic and Persian University.
Retired staff unions have criticised the delay, arguing that pension payments are unrelated to administrative accounting disputes and that elderly former employees should not bear the consequences of bureaucratic failures.
The finance department insists it must ensure accountability for public spending before releasing further funds. Until the documentation is completed, thousands of retired educators and staff will remain without their monthly income, deepening concerns about the welfare of Bihar’s ageing public-sector workforce.
