The Bihar state government has finalized 'Policy 2026' to consolidate all language academies under a single administrative umbrella. The higher education department has forwarded the proposal to the finance department for financial clearance. Once approved, the proposal will be placed before the state cabinet for final approval and implementation.
Restructuring of Language Academies
Under the proposed restructuring, the Bihar Regional Language Academy will encompass Bhojpuri, Maithili, Sanskrit, Bangla, and Maghi languages. Additionally, separate academies for Bajjika and Surjapuri have been proposed. If approved, the total number of academies under the unified structure will rise to eight. All academies will function as a single entity under the higher education department, headed by an ex-officio chairperson, likely the department's secretary or director. The structure will also include a director and two deputy directors, who may be appointed from within the government or externally.
Staffing and Recruitment
The institution is expected to have approximately six dozen staff members, including research scholars, clerical staff, and Group D employees. All appointments will be made on an outsourcing basis. Each language will have designated experts with at least a postgraduate degree. Candidates with a PhD and research orientation will be preferred. The minimum age for recruitment has been set at 25 years.
Notably, the Bihar Hindi Granth Academy and Bihar Rashtrabhasha Parishad will remain outside the ambit of this new structure.
Background and Objectives
This move comes after prolonged neglect of language academies, many of which have remained dysfunctional for over two decades. Most academies currently have fewer than two dozen employees and limited output, with publication activity nearly stagnant. In 2022, then Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed their reorganization. Under the new framework, each academy will focus on promoting its respective language and literature while contributing to cultural research and documentation.
