Nearly 3,000 Bihar government schools run without buildings, Assembly data reveals

For thousands of students in Bihar, the biggest challenge is not only completing homework or preparing for exams. It is studying in a school that does not even have a building of its own.According to UDISE+ 2025–26 data, placed before the Bihar Legislative Assembly during the monsoon session, 2,276 primary, middle and secondary schools across 35 districts are functioning without their own buildings. Along with this, 720 higher secondary schools are also operating without buildings, making the total number of schools to 2,996.The issue was raised in the Assembly by Janata Dal (United) MLA Manjit Singh, who questioned how schools could provide quality education when thousands of students were still studying without proper infrastructure.WHEN A SCHOOL HAS STUDENTS BUT NO WALLSRaising the concern, Singh pointed out that nearly 3 crore students are enroled in government schools across Bihar, yet many institutions continue to operate without permanent buildings. He asked the government when construction work for these schools would be completed and when students would get access to proper classrooms.The Education Minister, Mithilesh Tiwari, acknowledged the problem and said some schools were facing an additional challenge, the absence of land. According to the minister, the department has been asked to prepare a list of schools that do not have either land or buildings within a week.720 PLUS-TWO SCHOOLS WAIT FOR BUILDINGSThe shortage is not limited to primary schools. Government data shows that out of 9,297 higher secondary (Plus-Two) schools in Bihar, 720 are still operating without their own buildings.The government said construction approval has already been granted for 677 of these upgraded higher secondary schools.Administrative approval worth around Rs 834.18 crore has been issued for these projects, while Rs 284 crore has already been released for construction work.THE PROMISE: NO SCHOOL WITHOUT A BUILDINGThe Education Minister told the Assembly that the government is committed to ensuring that no government school in Bihar remains without a building.For schools without land, the Revenue and Land Reforms Department will help provide land, after which construction work will begin.However, for students currently studying in these schools, the promise of new buildings remains a wait. Until construction begins, classrooms without permanent walls continue to be a reality for thousands across Bihar.- EndsPublished By: Princy ShuklaPublished On: Aug 7, 2026 13:41 IST