Patna: Assistant professor appointments in universities across Bihar are set to undergo a significant change, with the state planning to introduce a written examination as the primary selection method. Under the proposed system, candidates will face a 160-mark written test, followed by a 40-mark interview, according to a draft law prepared for the new recruitment process.
The draft has been prepared on the instructions of the Governor, who also serves as Chancellor of state universities, and circulated by the Bihar Lok Bhavan Secretariat. Vice-chancellors of all universities have been asked to review the proposal and submit their suggestions. The secretariat has issued detailed directions seeking feedback on the draft.
Robert L. Chongthu, principal secretary to the Governor and Chancellor, has asked universities to submit their suggestions by March 11. The draft has also been sent to the state government for comments under the provisions of the Bihar State University Act, 1976 (updated and amended) and the Patna University Act, 1976. Officials said that if no suggestions are received within the deadline, it will be assumed that the concerned authorities agree with the proposed law.
According to the draft, the Bihar State University Service Commission will conduct the recruitment process. Candidates will first appear for the written examination, and only those who qualify will be called for the interview stage. The interview panel will include at least three subject experts of professor rank to ensure academic scrutiny in the final selection.
The written examination will be three hours long, with a minimum qualifying mark of 50% for general candidates. However, candidates from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and persons with disabilities will receive a five-mark relaxation in the qualifying criteria.
The proposed examination syllabus will be aligned with that of the National Eligibility Test (NET). Only candidates who have qualified NET or a similar examination conducted by CSIR will be eligible to appear in the written test, ensuring that applicants meet national academic eligibility standards.
The draft law also proposes age criteria for applicants. Candidates must be at least 23 years old to apply, while the maximum age limit will be 45 years as of August 1 in the year of advertisement. The state government’s reservation policy will be strictly followed, and recruitment will take place through an all-India open advertisement, allowing candidates from across the country to apply.
