Patna: Bihar chief minister Samrat Chaudhary on Monday launched the Vidyarthi Sahyog Portal, a digital platform aimed at providing students with a time-bound mechanism to raise academic, hostel-related and other concerns.
The portal was launched at the auditorium of JD Women’s College in Patna, where Chaudhary also interacted with students and discussed their academic activities and challenges.
The chief minister said the initiative was intended to make the state’s education system more modern, transparent, accountable and student-centric.
30-Day Deadline For Grievance Resolution
Students can register grievances online at any time through the portal. The service is free and confidential, while helpline 1100 will provide information about student support camps.
Under the system, if action on a grievance does not begin within 10 days, an automated notice will be issued by the Chief Minister’s Office on the 11th day. A complaint is to be resolved within a maximum of 30 days of registration, with the applicant informed in writing.
Student support camps will be organised at educational institutions on the fourth Tuesday of every month, allowing students to raise their problems and suggestions directly.
The Vidyarthi Sahyog Abhiyan will be launched across schools and hostels in Bihar from August 25.
Automated Notices To Ensure Accountability
Chaudhary said 96% of the 6.42 lakh applications received through existing support camps had already been resolved.
Under the new automated accountability mechanism, a first notice will be issued on the 11th day if no action has been taken, followed by a second notice on the 20th day and a third on the 25th day.
If a grievance remains unresolved after 30 days, provisions have been made for action against the concerned official or employee, the chief minister said.
211 New Degree Colleges Planned
Chaudhary said the government was working to expand higher education opportunities so that students from Bihar would not have to leave the state in search of better educational facilities.
He said 211 new degree colleges were being opened simultaneously, while approval had also been given for degree courses in 342 BEd colleges.
The government was also seeking to make higher education more affordable, with engineering education available for Rs 10 and polytechnic education for Rs 5 under the initiatives outlined by the chief minister.
He said around Rs 18,000 crore had been provided through the Student Credit Card Scheme.
Focus On Women’s Education And Employment
Chaudhary also highlighted initiatives aimed at improving educational and economic opportunities for women and girls.
These include support related to Anganwadis, nutrition and uniforms, as well as incentives for girls completing matriculation, intermediate and graduation and assistance for competitive examination preparation.
He said 35% reservation in government jobs and 50% reservation in Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies had increased women’s participation.
The government is also developing a model school system at 551 locations, covering 534 blocks and major cities, while working to provide students with live teacher support for home-based learning, according to the chief minister.
‘No Student Should Be Left Behind’
Chaudhary said Bihar’s budget had grown from about Rs 6,000 crore at the time of the state’s bifurcation from Jharkhand to Rs 3.47 lakh crore.
He linked the state’s development ambitions with its historical intellectual traditions, citing Pataliputra, Nalanda, Vikramshila and Acharya Chanakya.
The chief minister said the government wanted students to use education, skills and employment opportunities to shape their own futures and contribute to Bihar’s development.
He urged students to communicate their problems and suggestions openly through the new support system, saying no student should be left behind because of a lack of opportunities.
Education minister Mithilesh Tiwari, higher education minister Sanjay Singh ‘Tiger’, principal secretary to the chief minister Deepak Kumar, general administration secretary Md Suhail, higher education secretary Rajiv Roshan, youth, employment and skill department secretary Kaushal Kishore, Patliputra University vice-chancellor Upendra Prasad and JD Women’s College principal Meera Kumari were among those present.
