Why Random Selection of Principals Won’t Fix Bihar’s Failing Education System

The Bihar government recently decided to appoint principals in its government schools through a lottery system instead of merit-based selection. While the intention behind this move may be to speed up appointments or prevent corruption, assigning leadership roles in education randomly raises serious questions. Can we afford to leave the future of thousands of students in the hands of chance instead of competence? Bihar’s education system is already struggling with teacher shortages, poor learning outcomes, and administrative gaps. This policy risks making things worse, not better.

I am writing about this because education in Bihar is not just a regional concern. It represents a deeper national challenge—of how we treat public education, especially in poorer states. Leadership in schools is not just about filling vacancies. A principal shapes the learning environment, ensures discipline, motivates teachers, and builds a sense of direction. Appointing someone randomly without assessing their capability or vision defeats the entire purpose of school leadership. As someone who believes in education reform from the ground up, I feel it’s important to speak against policies that may appear neutral but are actually harmful in practice.

What Is Bihar Trying to Do with Lottery-Based Appointments?

The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) recently conducted exams to recruit principals for government secondary and higher secondary schools. However, when it came time to assign them to schools, the state chose to do so through a lottery. According to officials, this was done to avoid accusations of bias, bribery, or manipulation in the placement process.

But what may appear as a fair and transparent method is actually flawed. Every school has different needs. Assigning someone through random selection assumes that all schools are the same and that all selected principals have the same capacity. That is far from the truth.

Why School Leadership Cannot Be Left to Chance

Context Matters: A school in a remote village facing infrastructure issues needs a very different kind of leader compared to a school in a small town where dropout rates are high due to socio-economic reasons. Matching the right principal to the right school can lead to real change. A lottery ignores this entirely.
Merit and Specialisation: If someone has experience working in tribal areas or in girl-child education, shouldn’t that be taken into account when placing them? The lottery doesn’t care.
Demotivation: Many candidates who worked hard for years to prepare for the BPSC exam may end up posted in locations where they are neither effective nor motivated. This can lower morale and performance.

A System Already Under Stress

Let’s not forget that Bihar’s education system is already under enormous pressure:

Student-teacher ratios are often poor
Teacher absenteeism is a chronic problem
Infrastructure is missing in many schools—no toilets, drinking water, or proper classrooms
Learning outcomes remain among the lowest in the country as per NAS and ASER reports

In such a situation, strong school leadership could have been a turning point. A principal who knows how to manage people, connect with the local community, and support teachers can transform even a resource-poor school. But assigning them through lottery is a missed opportunity.

Alternatives Bihar Could Consider

Instead of lotteries, Bihar could:

Use a needs-based matching system where school requirements and principal strengths are matched
Create a transparent algorithm that accounts for seniority, performance, location preference, and school need
Involve community feedback and district-level performance metrics
Offer training and support to principals before and after placement

Education and Employment Can Transform Society: Dinesh Gundu Rao Highlights the Way Forward

During a recent public address in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stressed that education and employment are two powerful tools that can shape the future of any society. He pointed out that when people are educated and have meaningful jobs, they can rise above social divisions, poverty, and other long-standing issues. His statement came while addressing students and faculty at a function organised at Srinivas University, where he also touched on the importance of knowledge-driven growth.

I felt the need to write about this because it’s rare to hear such a strong political focus on the link between education, employment and overall societal transformation. We often hear about schemes, budgets and infrastructure, but rarely is the bigger picture discussed—how these two sectors can change the life of a common person. This topic matters to all of us, especially the youth, who are navigating a fast-changing job market while also dealing with rising academic pressure. By writing about this, I hope more people start thinking seriously about how education is not just about degrees, and employment is not just about money—it’s about dignity, stability and progress.

Why Education and Employment Matter Together

Education and employment are often treated as separate issues, but in reality, they go hand-in-hand. Education gives people the ability to think, create and contribute. Employment gives them the opportunity to apply what they know, support their families, and be part of the economy. According to Dinesh Gundu Rao, these two pillars must be developed together if we want a fairer and more productive society.

He stressed that:

Lack of access to education pushes people into poverty.
Unemployment leads to frustration, crime, and brain drain.
A society that fails to create job-ready youth will always remain unequal.

This is why investing in schools, colleges, and job-oriented courses is not just a policy decision—it’s a moral responsibility.

Government’s Role in Creating Equal Opportunities

During the event, Rao mentioned that governments should focus not only on building schools and colleges but also on ensuring the quality of education. He said students from rural areas often struggle because they don’t have the same access to English-medium teaching or computer labs as those in urban areas. This kind of inequality reflects in the job market too, where rural youth get fewer chances.

He also pointed out that:

Many graduates remain unemployed or underemployed because they are not industry-ready.
There is a big gap between what is taught in classrooms and what the job market demands.
Career counselling and vocational training should start at the school level.

According to him, if we want to see real change, we need long-term thinking and serious government commitment—not just one-time policies or election promises.

Importance of Social Harmony for Progress

One of the key messages Rao delivered was about unity. He said education should be a tool to unite people and not divide them. The minister raised concern about how communalism and polarisation are slowly taking attention away from important issues like job creation and educational reform.

He added that:

When youth are unemployed, they are more vulnerable to divisive ideologies.
Education can help people develop critical thinking and tolerance.
A strong education and employment ecosystem reduces dependence on populist politics.

He urged young people to stay informed, ask questions, and focus on real-life issues rather than distractions.