Patna: The Bihar government has issued a notification detailing the responsibilities of three newly created departments, following cabinet approval on 9 December. The move comes after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, upon returning to power, announced that the departments would be restructured to sharpen the state’s focus on employment, higher education and civil aviation.
The three departments — Youth, Employment and Skill Development; Higher Education; and Civil Aviation — bring the total number of state departments to 48.
Officials said the reorganisation underscores the government’s intent to boost job creation and skill development while strengthening institutional oversight in higher education and aviation.
Mandate of the Youth, Employment and Skill Development Department
The new department will focus on creating employment-related laws and policies, operating the Employment and Registration Directorate, organising job fairs and managing an employment e-portal.
Its responsibilities include liaising with industries, MSME units and private firms; providing sector-specific vocational and technical training; implementing apprenticeship and industry-based training schemes; coordinating with central skill development programmes; and overseeing the Bihar Skill Development Mission.
It will also supervise ITIs, youth welfare initiatives such as the NCC and NSS, and institutions like Nehru Yuva Kendra and the Bihar Youth Commission. The department will identify youth talent, manage personnel and maintain administrative control over departmental buildings.
Higher Education Department to oversee universities and research institutions
The Higher Education Department will manage university-level education, regulations and libraries. It will oversee key research institutions, including the K.P. Jaiswal Research Institute, A.N. Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Jagjivan Ram Institute of Parliamentary Studies and Lalit Narayan Mishra Institute of Management.
Its mandate includes promoting specialised studies, coordinating academic standards, administering educational trusts, and establishing the Bihar State University Service Commission. It will regulate academic and non-academic staffing, manage linguistic academies such as the Sanskrit, Pali, Maithili and Magahi academies, and oversee institutions offering higher education in law, management and applied sciences.
Civil Aviation Department to manage state aircraft and aviation development
The Civil Aviation Department will be responsible for the purchase, maintenance and operation of government aircraft and helicopters, as well as the development and regulation of air transport within the state.
It will oversee all state-run airports and heliports, coordinate with the central government on aviation matters, regulate aeronautical training through the Bihar Aviation Institute, and manage personnel and institutions under its administrative control.
