Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Thursday, 16 July 2026, launched the 'Bihar School Live Classes' programme from Rajkiya Kanya Uchch Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Shastrinagar, Patna — marking a significant push to bring expert-led digital education to government-school students across the state, including free preparation for competitive examinations such as NEET and JEE.

Context

Announcing what he called a 'historic leap' (ऐतिहासिक छलांग) in Bihar's education sector, CM Choudhary said the initiative would connect students of 10 selected model schools in Patna to live teaching sessions delivered by specialist teachers. The launch venue — a government girls' higher secondary school in Shastrinagar — was itself symbolic, signalling the programme's focus on reaching students who have historically had limited access to quality instruction. Two state-of-the-art smart classrooms and interactive-panel-based teaching systems were also inaugurated at the school on the same occasion.

Policy Backdrop

The Bihar School Examination Board simultaneously launched an online coaching programme and a dedicated NEET-JEE preparation campaign as part of the same initiative. The board's involvement ensures institutional backing for the free coaching drive, which aims to put government-school students on a more equal footing with peers who attend private coaching centres. The move aligns with the thrust of the National Education Policy 2020, under which states have been encouraged to upgrade digital infrastructure in public schools and reduce dependence on costly private tuition for competitive-exam preparation.

Alongside the classroom launches, MoUs were signed with 7 voluntary organisations to accelerate innovation, skill development and quality teaching. The identity of these organisations has not been officially disclosed in the public domain as of the time of publication.

Stakeholders and Impact

The immediate beneficiaries are students enrolled in the 10 model schools in Patna now linked to the live teaching network. The programme offers live classes by expert teachers, digital study material and technology-driven pedagogy — resources previously available mainly to students at private institutions or those who could afford coaching fees. NEET and JEE aspirants from government schools stand to gain the most in the near term, as the board's new campaign provides structured, free preparation for these high-stakes national examinations.

CM Choudhary stated the government's goal plainly: 'No student in Bihar should compromise on their dreams due to lack of resources.' The programme is designed to ensure equal access to technology-enabled, quality and competitive-exam-oriented education, preparing what he described as a confident, capable generation ready for global competition.

What's Next

The critical question is whether the Bihar School Live Classes model will scale beyond the initial 10 Patna schools to reach students in rural and remote districts where the gap between government and private schooling is widest. The state's ability to sustain live expert instruction, maintain digital infrastructure and track outcomes — particularly in NEET and JEE qualification rates in subsequent years — will determine how transformative the initiative proves to be. If the pilot delivers measurable results, it could become a template for other states looking to democratise competitive-exam preparation through public investment in ed-tech.