Patna: Months before Bihar’s assembly elections, state governments are competing to fulfil promises and outmanoeuvre the opposition. The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government’s decision to establish the Bihar Youth Commission was no exception. NDA allies and cabinet ministers described the decision as “pro-youth,” “big and different,” and “historic,” while the opposition countered it as an act of imitation. Chief Minister Kumar chaired a cabinet meeting that established the youth commission. Kumar’s party, Janata Dal (United), heads the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
The state government has announced several measures targeting jobs, youth, and reservation issues in quick succession over the past few weeks. It has sought to counter opposition parties’ attempts to woo youth, NDA leaders told indianexpress.com. Political analysts expect the youth commission to play a crucial role in blunting the opposition’s attack and wooing the youth votes in the upcoming elections.
The NDA government also seems to be busy with other measures to improve its standing. In the past few weeks, it also announced 100% reservation for local candidates in primary teachers’ recruitment, fixed tenure for police and district administration officials, and made efforts to ensure quick pendency of corruption cases.
Opposition Led By RJD Questions “Originality”
The ruling NDA has announced many pro-youth policies, including the establishment of the Bihar Youth Commission, for which it has been receiving criticism from the opposition. Rajya Sabha MP and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had, in a rally in March, asked, “Who said 45-year-old Nitish Kumar will announce a Youth Commission?” He has also accused the ruling NDA of lacking originality, claiming it has become a copycat government.
“In Bihar, the RJD will bring two things to power,” Yadav told reporters earlier this month. “We will enact a law guaranteeing a 100% reservation for Biharis in primary teacher recruitment and establish a youth commission.” It’s just a matter of time; we will give both.”
The RJD leader and Leader of the Opposition had announced the formation of a Bihar Youth Commission in the presence of more than a hundred youth at a rally in Patna on March 5. Yadav had said if the RJD comes to power, it will form a youth commission within a month of coming to power and ensure 100% reservation in Bihar government jobs for the local youth.
Will These Steps Be Enough?
Yadav’s address included a set of policies that the RJD will implement if voted to power, including waiving the fee for applying for government jobs, introducing a 100% quota in government jobs for local youth, establishing a Bihar Youth Commission within a month of coming to power, and a 100% quota for Bihari youth in primary teachers’ recruitment. “I am announcing this promise to the people of Bihar today, and I assure you I will keep it,” Yadav had said.
Bihar Youth Commission: Who Owns The Idea?
NITI Aayog had in its report in 2022 pegged Bihar’s unemployment rate at 3.9%, which was higher than the national average of 3.2%. The state government is probably banking on these pro-youth measures to calm down the students before the election. On Saturday, Kumar, in a post on X, said the government had formed the Bihar Youth Commission and had directed all the departments to take appropriate steps for employment generation, skill development, and the empowerment of the youth.
Yadav’s RJD has been leading the demand for a youth commission. “We have decided to implement 100% reservation for Biharis in the recruitment of primary teachers,” Yadav said in March. “We have promised a Youth Commission and 100% reservation in government jobs for local youth within a month of coming to power.”
On Reservation
Opposition leaders have also been led by Yadav in their demand for a 100% reservation for Biharis in primary teachers’ recruitment and a 90% reservation for local youth in all other government jobs. They have been demanding the state government issue domicile certificates within three months. Students and youth activists have been at the forefront of these demands in Bihar over the last two years, mainly driven by resentment against outsiders getting teaching jobs in government schools and locals remaining jobless. Opposition leaders, including Yadav, have promised full reservation for Biharis in primary teachers’ recruitment and first preference for Biharis in other government jobs if they come to power.
Yadav has also promised to restore the reservation quota for weaker sections to 65% from the current 50%. “We raised the quota from 50% to 65%, but the anti-reservation BJP killed it,” Yadav had tweeted in March. “If NDA comes back to power, we will not give even one job to anyone. RJD will increase the quota to 65%.”
The NDA, on the other hand, has not commented on the demands for quota and domicile certificates.
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