PATNA: Over 4 lakh contractual teachers in Bihar were granted ‘state employee’ status on Tuesday, with the Nitish Kumar-led cabinet clearing the move along with a condition that they must clear a screening test to retain their jobs. The decision came ahead of the 2024 general elections and followed agitations for the status by the teachers, who had been recruited by panchayat institutions and urban local bodies.

These teachers will now be known as “Vishisht Shikshak (special teachers)”. The teachers will have to clear the screening test to be eligible for benefits like transfers, periodic hikes and promotions, additional chief secretary S Siddharth said. The test is likely to be conducted by the education department or any government body assigned by the government.

The CM had earlier announced government employee status for contractual teachers with the condition that they pass BPSC exams. This had not gone down well with the teachers, who had then hit the streets demanding a rollback.