With Bihar Assembly elections knocking on the door, chief minister Nitish Kumar has announced a 35 per cent job reservation for women who are permanent residents of the state.

Announcing a series of major policy decisions focused on women and youth welfare, Kumar said, “35% reservation exclusively for women candidates who are original residents of Bihar in direct recruitment to all categories, levels, and types of posts in all state government services.”

The decision, taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by the chief minister, effectively bars women from outside Bihar from availing the previously open 35% quota. Earlier, the reservation was accessible to all women candidates, irrespective of domicile. “It can be said that the domicile policy has been implemented for women,” an official said, noting that this move may significantly alter the recruitment landscape for female aspirants from other states.

This development comes just months ahead of the state assembly elections, and is widely seen as a political move aimed at strengthening the Chief Minister’s appeal, particularly among women voters. A pre-poll survey conducted by InkInsight in May had indicated that women in Bihar largely favoured the NDA, with Nitish Kumar emerging as their top choice for chief minister. Meanwhile, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav was found to be more popular among the youth.

For differently-abled candidates

The cabinet also greenlit incentives for differently-abled candidates appearing in competitive exams. Those who pass the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) preliminary exam will receive Rs 50,000, while those clearing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) prelims will be granted Rs 1 lakh to aid preparation for the main exam and interview.

In another youth-focused move, the government approved the formation of the Bihar Youth Commission, aimed at tackling unemployment and providing structured support to the state’s young population.

“I am happy to inform you that with an aim of providing more and more employment opportunities to the youths of Bihar, training them, and making them empowered and capable, the state government has decided to constitute Bihar Youth Commission,” Kumar said in a post on X.

“This commission will play a significant role in advising the government on all matters related to improving and uplifting the condition of youths in the society. It will also coordinate with government departments to ensure better education and employment for the youth,” he added.

Explaining the goals further, the chief minister said, “The objective of this visionary initiative is to make the youth self-reliant, skilled, and employment-oriented so that their future is secure.”

The Bihar Youth Commission will have a chairperson, two vice-chairpersons, and seven members, all below the age of 45. It will also work to ensure that youth from Bihar are given priority in private sector jobs within the state, and safeguard the interests of those studying or working outside Bihar.

“Preparing programmes to prevent social evils such as addictions and making recommendations to the government on such matters will also be its important task,” Nitish said.

The cabinet reportedly approved a total of 43 proposals in the meeting, covering employment, youth welfare, and agricultural relief.

Meanwhile, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) has announced a job fair in Patna on July 19, signalling that employment will be a central theme in the upcoming elections.