Committee to recommend comprehensive reforms in examinations conducted by state boards, commissions, universities and recruitment agencies
Patna, Advocate Suman Kumari, Legal Correspondent,2nd September 2026: The Bihar Government has taken a significant step towards strengthening and reforming the state’s examination system by constituting an Expert Committee on Examination Reforms, with Justice Harish Kumar of the Patna High Court appointed as its Chairman.
The General Administration Department issued the notification on September 1, 2026, formally approving the nomination of Justice Harish Kumar as Chairman of the Expert Committee.
According to the notification, the committee has been envisaged to examine the existing examination system and recommend comprehensive reforms in examinations conducted by various examination boards, commissions, universities and other recruitment agencies functioning under the State Government.
Committee proposed under August 23 notification
The latest notification refers to an earlier notification issued by the General Administration Department on August 23, 2026. Clause 7 of that notification provided for the constitution of an expert committee to recommend comprehensive reforms in examinations conducted by different boards, commissions, universities and recruitment agencies under the State Government.
Following this, the General Administration Department wrote to the Registrar General of the Patna High Court on August 24, requesting the nomination of a High Court judge to head the proposed committee.
The Registrar General subsequently forwarded a proposal on August 28, 2026, recommending Justice Harish Kumar for the position of Chairman.
The State Government has now formally accepted the proposal and notified his appointment.
Focus on transparency, security and credibility
The formation of the committee assumes significance amid growing concerns surrounding the conduct of competitive and recruitment examinations, including issues related to examination security, malpractice, question-paper leaks, impersonation, monitoring of examination centres and delays in the examination cycle.
Although the September 1 notification primarily deals with the appointment of the Chairman, the broader objective outlined in the earlier notification is to bring about comprehensive examination reforms.
The committee is therefore expected to examine various aspects of the examination process and suggest measures to make the system more transparent, secure, technology-driven and efficient.
BPSC, BSSC and other recruitment bodies within broader reform framework
The proposed reforms could have implications for examinations conducted by major recruitment and examination institutions in Bihar, including the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC), Bihar Technical Service Commission and other government recruitment agencies.
Universities and other institutions conducting examinations under the State Government may also come within the broader scope of the reform exercise.
The notification has been circulated to several important government departments and constitutional and statutory authorities, including the Finance Department, Accountant General, Patna High Court, Bihar Public Service Commission, Bihar Staff Selection Commission and Bihar Technical Service Commission.
Justice-led committee seen as significant move
The appointment of a sitting Patna High Court judge to head the expert committee gives the reform exercise considerable institutional importance.
The committee is expected to bring together legal, administrative and examination-related perspectives while examining the existing system and suggesting measures for improving its credibility.
For thousands of candidates appearing in competitive and recruitment examinations across Bihar, the effectiveness of the proposed reforms could have a direct bearing on the fairness and reliability of the examination process.
A major expectation among aspirants
Every year, a large number of candidates appear for government recruitment and competitive examinations in Bihar. For them, issues such as secure question-paper handling, transparent examination procedures, effective invigilation, timely conduct of examinations, fair evaluation and timely declaration of results remain critical.
The Expert Committee could provide a roadmap for addressing these concerns and establishing a more robust examination framework.
Key areas likely to attract attention
- Strengthening examination security
- Preventing question-paper leaks and malpractice
- Improving monitoring of examination centres
- Use of technology and digital security systems
- Ensuring transparency in recruitment examinations
- Strengthening candidate verification and identification
- Improving evaluation and result-processing mechanisms
- Making the examination process more systematic and time-bound
What happens next?
The immediate focus will now be on the constitution and functioning of the Expert Committee under the chairmanship of Justice Harish Kumar. The recommendations made by the committee could potentially lead to significant changes in the way competitive and recruitment examinations are conducted across Bihar.
The State Government’s move is being viewed as an important step towards creating a more transparent, secure and credible examination ecosystem. The recommendations of the Justice Harish Kumar-led committee are now likely to be closely watched by students, job aspirants, recruitment agencies and the wider education sector.
