Bihar's latest recruitment cycle has triggered a staggering wave of applications, with nearly 9.8 lakh candidates vying for just 935 newly created Assistant Education Development Officer (AEDO) posts — one of the highest response ratios ever recorded by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC).

The unprecedented applicant turnout reflects the intense demand for stable government employment, especially among the state's youth, as Bihar prepares to expand its administrative workforce under its broader commitment to generate one crore (10 million) jobs and employment opportunities over the next five years.

This is the first time the government has opened recruitment for the AEDO role, a position carved out as part of a new education governance restructuring.

The BPSC has announced that the preliminary examination will be held in January 2026, followed by document verification and mandatory medical examination before appointment.

“A total of 980,000 candidates have applied for 935 positions,”
said BPSC Examination Controller Rajesh Kumar Singh, adding that the Commission will finalise exam modalities in a meeting scheduled for December.

A new administrative role in education governance

The AEDO will serve as a key link between the government and grassroots education administration. Each officer will supervise nine to ten Panchayats, ensuring policy implementation, school monitoring, and accountability mechanisms.

The role replaces the earlier system headed by Block Education Officers (BEOs), signalling a shift toward more decentralised, Panchayat-focused oversight.

Political battle intensifies

The rush for limited posts has quickly escalated into a war of narratives.

Opposition parties, including the RJD, have accused the ruling NDA of creating a crisis of unemployment and fostering desperation among the youth.
RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmed said the government had “destroyed” the aspirations of job seekers, alleging that promised jobs were being “eliminated instead of created.”

He argued that former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav’s messaging of “jobs over hatred” had raised expectations — expectations the current administration has failed to meet.

Government defends progress

The NDA has countered firmly, insisting the recruitment drive is proof that its employment plan is in motion.

“Work has already begun to provide jobs or employment to 10 million youth in the next five years,”
said BJP spokesperson Neeraj Kumar, adding that recruitment across multiple departments is already underway.

With the AEDO examination now scheduled and nearly a million applicants in queue, this recruitment has rapidly become not just a hiring process — but a referendum on Bihar’s employment landscape, governance priorities, and political accountability.

As the countdown to January 2026 begins, the race for these 935 seats underscores a sobering reality: in Bihar, the distance between opportunity and aspiration has never felt sharper.