The Bihar Chief Minister has outlined a major push across education and energy, highlighting 700 upgraded schools, online JEE-NEET preparation, late-night learning through the Vidyarthi Saathi platform and a wider shift towards renewable energy. Speaking at the “Bihar Ke Sachche Nayak – Real Heroes of Bihar” programme, Samrat Choudhary said his government wants to strengthen public education while gradually reducing the state’s dependence on large power subsidies.

The Chief Minister said around 3.5 lakh students are studying across 700 model schools, where live online classes have been introduced. He also said more than 1.42 lakh students are using the Vidyarthi Saathi App for online learning, including late-night sessions. On energy, he said 1.7 crore families had not received an electricity bill for a year, compared with around 22 lakh households that were receiving bills, and argued that more consumers should eventually be linked with solar power to reduce reliance on subsidies.

Bihar Chief Minister Says 700 Model Schools Can Reduce Dependence on Kota

A major part of the announcement focused on keeping more students in Bihar for competitive-exam preparation. Samrat Choudhary said the state has established 700 model schools serving approximately 3.5 lakh children. Live classes are being used to provide additional academic support, including preparation for engineering and medical entrance examinations.

The government’s stated objective is to create a stronger local alternative for students who currently travel to coaching hubs such as Kota in Rajasthan. Choudhary said large numbers of Bihar students leave the state every year for JEE and NEET coaching. By offering preparation through government schools, the administration wants more students to access similar support closer to home.

The announcement follows another recent speech in which Choudhary said Bihar needed stronger local educational infrastructure because substantial public and household spending was flowing outside the state for education. He cited around ₹18,000 crore disbursed through the Student Credit Card programme while making that argument.

Digital Education Expands Through Vidyarthi Saathi App

The state is also placing greater emphasis on digital education. According to the Chief Minister, around 1.42 lakh students are using the Vidyarthi Saathi App, with teachers available through the platform even during late-night study hours. He said some students were accessing lessons as late as 1 AM. The platform is intended to complement classroom teaching rather than replace physical schools. It can potentially give students in districts with limited coaching options access to teachers and competitive-exam preparation without requiring relocation.

Bihar’s approach also fits into the wider national expansion of technology-enabled schooling. At the Union level, programmes including Samagra Shiksha, PM e-VIDYA and the National Digital Education Architecture are designed to expand digital classrooms, online resources and technology-based learning. The challenge will be ensuring that digital education works equally well for students with weak internet access, limited devices or less support at home.

Why Model Schools Matter for JEE and NEET Preparation

The government is presenting the model schools initiative as more than a general infrastructure upgrade. Its focus on live classes and entrance-exam preparation directly addresses one of Bihar’s long-standing education patterns: large numbers of students travelling outside the state for private coaching. The state’s 700-school network has a reported capacity of 3.5 lakh students.

If consistently implemented, the programme could reduce some travel and accommodation costs for families. However, the long-term impact will depend on teacher availability, internet quality, academic outcomes and whether students in rural districts receive the same standard of preparation as those in larger cities. The number of enrolled students alone does not establish whether the programme produces better JEE or NEET results, so examination outcomes will be an important metric to watch.

Electricity Subsidy Remains a Major State Expense

The energy side of the announcement focused heavily on subsidies. The Bihar Chief Minister said around 1.7 crore families had gone a year without receiving a power bill, while approximately 22 lakh families continued to receive bills. This figure was presented by Choudhary during his speech and should be understood as the government’s description of the current billing situation.

He also said Bihar spends around ₹6,000 crore on agricultural feeders serving rural areas. Agricultural feeders provide power to farming operations, including irrigation pumps, and subsidised electricity can significantly reduce costs for farmers. But large subsidy commitments can also put pressure on state finances. Choudhary argued that Bihar needs to organise its power system in a way that allows households and communities to become more self-reliant.

Solar Power Could Become the Next Stage of Bihar’s Energy Policy

That is where solar power enters the government’s strategy. Choudhary said households currently benefiting from subsidised power should increasingly be connected to renewable generation so the state can reduce its long-term subsidy burden. Bihar has also recently indicated that it plans to provide additional support for rooftop solar installations, although full eligibility rules and subsidy details have not yet been publicly specified.

In August, the state also announced plans to install rooftop solar systems for 10 lakh Jeevika-linked households, with the stated aim of bringing their household power bills down to zero. If implemented at scale, these programmes could reduce demand on the conventional grid while lowering recurring subsidy costs. However, rooftop deployment requires upfront installation, maintenance, suitable roofs, grid connectivity and reliable financing.

Bihar Wants to Shift From Subsidy to Energy Self-Reliance

The broader policy message is that the state wants to maintain affordable energy while changing how that support is delivered. Rather than relying indefinitely on direct power subsidies, the administration is increasingly talking about distributed renewable generation. This does not mean conventional electricity subsidies are disappearing immediately. The Chief Minister’s remarks indicate a policy direction rather than a completed transition.

Expanding household and agricultural solar systems would require years of investment, installation and grid upgrades. The effectiveness of the strategy will depend on how quickly households can actually adopt solar power, whether promised subsidies are funded and whether installations deliver reliable savings over their operating life.

Education and Energy Linked to Bihar’s Development Strategy

The two areas may appear separate, but the government is presenting them as part of the same economic argument. Education is intended to reduce the need for students to leave Bihar for preparation and higher studies. Renewable energy is intended to lower household costs and reduce the fiscal pressure created by subsidies.

In both cases, the stated objective is greater local self-reliance. Samrat Choudhary said Bihar’s prosperity would depend on residents becoming stronger through their own resources.

That approach is also visible in recent state discussions around local-government revenues and new clean-energy investment.