Patna: The Bihar government has notified new regulations governing the appointment of Assistant Professors in state universities and constituent colleges, bringing an end to the wait for revised recruitment guidelines.
The Governor has approved the Statutes for Appointment of Assistant Professors, Including Contractual Appointments of Assistant Professors, 2026. The regulations came into force across all state universities on July 1, 2026.
Selection To Be Based On 200 Marks
Under the new regulations, candidates will be selected through a 200-mark process comprising a three-hour written examination carrying 175 marks and an interview worth 25 marks.
Of the interview marks, 13 will be awarded for a teaching demonstration and 12 for interaction with the selection board. The regulations also make video recording of the teaching demonstration mandatory to promote transparency in the recruitment process.
Maximum Age Limit Raised To 43 Years
The maximum age for applicants has been fixed at 43 years.
The earlier draft of the regulations had proposed an upper age limit of 40 years. The state government revised it following representations from research scholars. However, the proposal to exclude Class 10 and Class 12 marks from merit assessment was not accepted.
NET Or SET Required, With Exemption For Eligible PhD Holders
Candidates must hold a postgraduate degree in the relevant subject with at least 55% marks to be eligible for appointment.
A relaxation of 5% in the minimum qualifying marks will be available to candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Extremely Backward Classes, Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) and Persons with Disabilities categories in Bihar.
The regulations require candidates to qualify the National Eligibility Test (NET) or the State Eligibility Test (SET). However, candidates eligible for exemption under the University Grants Commission (UGC) rules, including specified PhD holders, will not be required to qualify NET.
New Standards For PhD Qualifications
The regulations prescribe additional academic requirements for PhD candidates.
A doctoral thesis must be evaluated by two external examiners, while candidates must also have published at least two research papers and one journal article. For applicants holding a PhD from a foreign university, the institution must be ranked among the top 500 globally.
Recruitment Through University Service Commission
Regular appointments will be made on the recommendations of the Bihar State University Service Commission, according to the new regulations.
The state government said the revised system is intended to streamline recruitment and improve transparency in the selection process.
Cabinet Clears Additional Interview Boards
The State Cabinet has also approved amendments to the operational regulations of the Bihar State University Service Commission.
The amendments allow the Commission to constitute additional interview boards with prior approval from the state government when required. Officials said the provision is expected to help complete interviews for a larger number of candidates in less time and speed up appointments.
