Arun Kumar is Senior Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times. He has spent two-and-half decades covering Bihar, including politics, educational and social issues.
Articles by Arun Kumar
‘Haphazard constructions at schools’: Bihar education dept asks for drone videos
The instruction was communicated by the Bihar Education Project Council on Sunday, following feedback from additional chief secretary KK Pathak
Updated on Aug 21, 2023 06:16 PM IST
Governor objects to edu dept order to hold V-Cs salary in Bihar
Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has criticised the state education department's decision to freeze the bank accounts and stop the salary of the in-charge vice-chancellor and pro-VC of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University. The Raj Bhavan has asked the department to withdraw its order, calling it an attack on the university's autonomy. The governor's office also wrote to the banks asking them not to freeze the university's bank accounts until further communication. The Federation of University Teachers' Association of Bihar has criticised the department's order.
Updated on Aug 19, 2023 12:32 AM IST
Bihar governor hits out at education dept for order to withhold salary of vice chancellor
“It is arbitrary and beyond jurisdiction. I am directed to convey that the above mentioned orders may be withdrawn and these types of unwarranted acts may be avoided in future,” said the letter from Robert L Chongthu, principal secretary to the Governor, to the education department secretary, who had issued the order.
Updated on Aug 18, 2023 09:46 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
No salary, orders Bihar official after vice-chancellor skips meeting. Guv steps in
Raj Bhavan rebuked education department officials for their order stopping salary of Bhimrao Ambedkar University vice chancellor and Pro VC
Updated on Aug 18, 2023 04:50 PM IST
Bihar edu dept stops salary of BRABU VC, pro-VC; FUTAB terms it ‘transgression’
In the order issued by education secretary Baidyanath Yadav, he stressed the need to streamline and regularise examinations and results and ordered clearing the backlog
Updated on Aug 18, 2023 02:55 PM IST
Reservation row: How two states dealt with OBC quotas
Despite quota availability in all entitled categories, OBCs in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh are demanding a caste census and proportional representation. Here's why
Published on Aug 17, 2023 08:53 PM IST
If they want to build AIIMS at Darbhanga, Shobhan is the right site: Nitish
CM says the government has also planned to develop DMCH on the lines of Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH), which will be the biggest one with 5,000 beds. DMCH will have 2,500 beds.
Updated on Aug 14, 2023 09:23 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
‘If Centre builds AIIMS Darbhanga, they have to do it at Shobhan’: Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar’s statement came a day after a BJP delegation presented a memorandum to the Bihar governor, accusing the state government of delaying AIIMS Darbhanga due to political reasons
Updated on Aug 14, 2023 08:59 PM IST
BJP submits memorandum to Bihar governor against Nitish govt
The BJP accused the chief minister Nitish Kumar-led government of stalling Bihar’s development for sheer politics and creating an atmosphere of lawlessness
Updated on Aug 14, 2023 04:54 PM IST
No reason to withhold Bihar teachers’ exam: BPSC chairman
The BPSC chairman said that the candidates should not be under any confusion due to the recent Supreme Court order making B.Ed degree holders ineligible for the post of primary teachers
Updated on Aug 13, 2023 02:31 PM IST
Amid caste survey in Bihar, education minister pitches for ‘casteless’ society
The Nitish Kumar government is racing to complete the caste-based survey, which was upheld by the Patna High Court recently.
Updated on Aug 10, 2023 09:01 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Nitish Kumar’s ‘crutch-politics’ coming to end: Bihar BJP chief
Narrating the GA’s one-year journey, Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary wrote that it was nothing but a saga of how one man’s ambition had played with the life and future of 120 million people of Bihar
Updated on Aug 09, 2023 06:14 PM IST
‘Utilise teachers’ services for caste survey only after class hours’: Bihar ACS
Bihar’s additional chief secretary (education) KK Pathak has written to all the district magistrates (DMs) in this regard
Updated on Aug 08, 2023 05:41 PM IST
Bihar sets August 15 deadline for schools to improve attendance
The state’s education department claimed that there was improvement due to inspections, but the worrying part was below 50% attendance in schools
Updated on Aug 08, 2023 01:38 PM IST
Bihar govt mulls separate screening for working teachers beyond BPSC exam
The teachers working for years would not have to go through the BPSC exam, but a new mechanism would be evolved for them to ensure that there was no discrimination against the deserving ones in the old system
Updated on Aug 06, 2023 02:42 PM IST
Teachers recruitment: CM holds ‘positive’ talks with allies, decision awaited
The teachers have been demanding government employee status without any exam rider and requisite changes in the Bihar state school teachers (appointment, transfer, disciplinary action, and service condition) rules, 2023, under which the government plans to carry out future appointments under a new cadre.
Updated on Aug 05, 2023 09:41 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Nitish to meet ruling alliance leaders today to discuss teachers’ issues
State’s parliamentary affairs minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, during the monsoon session of the state legislature last month, had promised in the House that the CM would review the new rules and talk to leaders of alliance parties.
Updated on Aug 04, 2023 09:26 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Nitish Kumar to discuss teachers’ issues with GA leaders on Saturday
The meeting is significant as it will take place in keeping with the promise made by parliamentary affairs minister Vijay Kunar Choudhary. The minister had last month promised the chief minister will meet the agitating teachers, discuss and fulfil the justified demands of contractual teachers
Updated on Aug 04, 2023 03:04 PM IST
Patna’s AN College gets highest NAAC grade in Bihar
AN college has improved its CGPA score from 3.26 to 3.36 to move into the A+ grade from A grade earlier
Updated on Aug 03, 2023 10:00 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Teacher bodies lament caste survey duty
Despite protests, the Bihar government has also used teachers for its various campaigns, to the visible detriment of education sector.
Updated on Aug 02, 2023 09:16 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Bihar teachers upset mid-session deployment for caste survey
Patna district magistrate Chandrashekhar said around 4 lakh families out of 13.69 lakh families were not covered when the process was stopped
Updated on Aug 02, 2023 05:11 PM IST
Salaries, pensions stuck in Bihar varsities amid education department standoff
Last year, even during important festivals such as Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath, teachers and employees of even constituent colleges and universities had to go without salaries
Updated on Aug 02, 2023 02:41 PM IST
Caste survey in Bihar gets high court’s nod
The hight court’s stay came on a petition filed by Youth For Equality, which argued that caste survey was violative of right to privacy under Article 21.
Updated on Aug 02, 2023 01:20 AM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Bihar Guv gives prosecution nod against ex-VC, nine top varsity officials
Prasad had to quit as Magadh University vice chancellor and proceed on medical leave after the SVU conducted raids at his office and residence on November 17, 2021.
Updated on Aug 01, 2023 10:09 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
HC upholds Bihar caste survey
The Patna High Court has upheld the caste survey ordered by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar as "perfectly valid" and "initiated with due competence". The survey, which aims to provide development with justice, has faced challenges but the court dismissed the petitions. The first round of the survey was conducted earlier this year. The court ruled that the state government has the power to carry out the survey, and it is necessary for the upliftment of socially and educationally backward communities. The government will now decide on further action in light of the court order.
Updated on Aug 01, 2023 09:09 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Bihar govt to continue caste survey as Patna HC dismisses writ petitions
The first round of the statewide survey was conducted from January 7-21, while the second round began on April 15 and was scheduled to end on May 15 before the HC stalled it mid-way through the process
Updated on Aug 01, 2023 03:31 PM IST
RJD, JD-U MPs decide to skip dinner hosted by Bihar Guv in Delhi
MPs from Bihar's ruling alliance, the Mahagathbandhan, have decided to skip a dinner hosted by the state's governor in protest of the government's silence on the situation in Manipur. The MPs argue that they need to be present in Parliament during the specified period and have no time for the dinner. The governor had invited all Bihar MPs to discuss public interest issues and have dinner.
Updated on Jul 27, 2023 09:48 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Logjam in Bihar edu dept as minister stays off office
Chandrashekhar and additional chief secretary (education) K K Pathak had entered into a turf war that eventually led to a heated exchange through letters last month. RJD chief Lalu Prasad sent Chandrashekhar to meet chief minister Nitish Kumar on July 6 to resolve the matter, but nothing has changed since then.
Updated on Jul 27, 2023 09:45 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Bihar Governor to host dinner for all Bihar MPs in Delhi on July 27
This dinner is being held in New Delhi, and not in Patna, since most of the MPs are in the national capital for the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, which ends on August 11
Updated on Jul 25, 2023 09:49 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Bihar governor Rajendra V Arlekar to host dinner for Bihar MPs in Delhi on July 27
Bihar governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who took oath as governor on February 14 this year, has met all legislators in the state during the Budget session
Updated on Jul 25, 2023 05:48 PM IST