Bank accounts will be opened for children studying in government schools in Bihar

Instructions have been issued to ensure that every child has an individual or joint bank account in a government or nationalized bank | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

The Bihar Education Department on Thursday (November 5, 2026) made it mandatory to keep the birth certificates of all children studying in government schools across the state in the school records.

Along with this, guidelines have been issued to ensure that every child has an individual or joint bank account in a government or nationalized bank.

The Director of Education (Administration) Department has sent a letter to all District Education Officers (DEOs) and District Program Officers (DPOs) in this regard.

The letter said the central government has emphasized opening bank accounts for everyone in government banks as part of a financial inclusion initiative since 2014. A birth certificate is required to open a bank account.

This is also required for school admission. With these requirements in mind, the Ministry of Education has ordered all public schools to keep the birth certificates of every enrolled child in their official records.

The ministry has directed principals of all government schools to contact managers of nearby government or nationalized bank branches and arrange for bank accounts to be opened for all children enrolled in their schools. Special priority will be given to children who are eligible for scholarship benefits.

A senior education ministry officer said having bank accounts in children’s names will make it easier for the government to transfer funds under various schemes through direct benefit transfer (DBT).

Meanwhile, the principals have also been directed to contact Mukhiya village panchayat in their respective areas to facilitate issuance of birth certificates. In rural areas, birth certificates are issued by the Mukhiya or panchayat secretary, while in urban areas, birth certificates are issued by the concerned municipal authorities.

The ministry directed the concerned authorities to complete both the tasks through a special campaign by December 31, 2026.

Published – November 6, 2026 05:48 IST