New Delhi- The term of Bihar's 243-member Legislative Assembly is set to expire on November 22, with the Election Commission of India announcing the poll schedule for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Voting for all 243 seats will be conducted in two phases- the first on November 6 and the second on November 11. Vote counting will take place on November 14. The state has a total electorate of 7.42 crore, comprising 3.92 crore male voters and 3.50 crore female voters.
Amid the electoral buzz in Bihar, the Dalit community, which constitutes one-fifth (19.65%) of the state’s population, has come forward with a clear set of expectations and demands. A new report titled "Bihar: What Do Dalits Want?" released by the National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organizations (NACDOR) provides a detailed analysis of the social, educational, economic, and human rights conditions of Dalits in the state, highlighting alarming realities.
The report, based on government data and independent regional analysis, exposes the gap between political promises and on-the-ground realities. Ashok Bharti, National Chairman of NACDOR, shared the report with The Mooknayak and provided an in-depth perspective on the socio-economic status of Dalit communities in the state, as well as the severe lack of social justice and safety mechanisms for them.
Bihar, accounting for 8.5% of India's total Scheduled Caste population, is the country's third-largest state in terms of Dalit population. The state officially recognizes 23 Scheduled Castes, of which just six castes- Dusadh (29.85%), Ravidas/Chamar (29.58%), Musahar (16.45%), Pasi (5.32%), Dhobi (4.51%), and Bhuiya (4.32%) comprise 90% of all Dalits in Bihar.
Nearly 62% of Dalits in Bihar are still illiterate. Among Dalit women, only 30% are literate, compared to the state average of 53%. The gap between Dalit men and women is a stark 23 percentage points. The situation is particularly grim among Musahars, whose literacy rate is below 20%, among the lowest of any caste group in India.
Dalit participation in higher education is alarmingly low. According to AISHE 2021–22, despite 19.65% population share and 17% constitutional reservation, Dalits make up only 5.6% of faculty and students. The lack of representation in universities and bureaucracies reinforces cycles of exclusion- denying Dalits intellectual presence and voice in policymaking.
Dalits remain trapped in precarious and low-paid work. Census and labour data reveal:
63.4% of Dalits are non-workers- primarily women and youth.Of those working, 46% are marginal workers, engaged less than six months a year. 21% have full-time employment, often as landless agricultural labourers or casual wage workers. Only 1.3% of Dalits in Bihar hold government jobs, far below their entitled quota.
Even within government departments, reservation posts remain unfilled, particularly in higher services. The absence of monitoring mechanisms under the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP) has weakened accountability for equitable budget allocation.
According to NFHS-5, Dalits in Bihar face severe health challenges such as high infant and maternal mortality, anaemia, and malnutrition. Poor sanitation, undernutrition, and discrimination at public health centers aggravate health risks. In several districts (e.g., Gaya, Nawada, and Jamui), Dalit hamlets report limited access to PHCs and government midwives, resulting in higher maternal and infant deaths.
Landlessness remains the single biggest cause of Dalit poverty in Bihar. Bihar has 16.4 million cultivable units. Out of this Dalits have only 1.91 million units. So, the State’s 19.65 per cent population has only 11.67 per cent cultivable units. These units owned by Dalits are smaller in size than those owned by others. Bihar has 6.45 million hectares of farm land. Out of this Dalits have just 0.57 million hectares.
Over 84% of Dalit households are landless.
Only 7% own cultivable land, and most plots are smaller than half an acre.
Average per capita monthly income of Dalit households is ₹6,480, almost 40% lower than the state average.
With agriculture declining and industries stagnant, Dalits face limited avenues for upward mobility. Migration to Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi for construction or domestic work has become a survival strategy, not economic empowerment.
NACDOR conducted a comprehensive analysis of Bihar’s annual budget documents from FY 2013–14 to FY 2025–26, focusing on allocations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and minorities. The findings reveal a concerning trend: while the state’s overall budget has grown nearly fourfold, the proportional allocation for marginalized communities has declined significantly.
Bihar’s total budget increased from ₹80,405 crore in 2013–14 to ₹3,16,895 crore in 2025–26. Allocation for SC/ST/OBC communities rose from ₹2,079 crore to ₹4,094 crore in the same period, which is less than the double.
Their share of the total budget dropped from 2.59% in 2013–14 to just 1.29% in 2025–26. Social services spending rose from ₹28,252 crore to ₹1,26,108 crore, but the share spent on Bahujan welfare within social services fell from 94.33% in 2015–16 to 53.10% in 2025–26.
In case of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, Welfare Expenditures decreased from 2.75% in 2015-16 to 1.56% in 2025-26.
Despite Bihar’s adoption of SCSP (Scheduled Caste Sub Plan) since 2011–12, allocations remain both inadequate and underutilized.
Budgetary allocations have declined to half from 12.48% in 2019–20 to around 6.20% in 2025–26.
According to CAG, actual expenditure is lower and averages to 70% of allocations. Most funds are diverted to general schemes with limited Dalit targeting, diluting the intent of SCSP.
National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR) has outlined 250 demands in 20 different heads in this report. Union Government of National Democratic Alliance can take cue from this to formulate or tweak existing scheme to benefit Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes in short, mid and ultimate terms.
Keeping the Elections in Bihar in view, NACDAOR asks political parties to include following 20-points in their Election Manifestos:
1. Formation of a High-Power Committee under the Chief Minister: A High-Power Committee should be constituted under the leadership of the Chief Minister to provide suggestions, advice, and monitoring for the rapid social, educational, and economic development of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs). The committee should meet at least once in a quarter under the chairpersonship of the Chief Minister.
2. Elimination of Discrimination in Government Services: Immediate annulment of ongoing discrimination against SCs and STs in promotions and postings within government services. All government recruitments and promotions should ensure proportional reservations for SCs and STs in line with the Bihar Caste Survey.
3. Guarantee of SC/ST Development Plan Act in Bihar: Enactment of the Bihar Development (of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Act to ensure population proportionate non-lapsable annual financial allocation for SCs and STs in state plans, schemes and budget.
4. Dr. Ambedkar Educational Inclusion Scheme: Policy decision to launch the Dr. Ambedkar Educational Inclusion Scheme to bridge the educational gap/divide between SCs, STs, and other social groups, with guaranteed provisions for adequate budget, human resources, and other necessary support for its effective implementation.
5. Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Women in Education: Provide free and residential education to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women enabling them to acquire higher education. They should also be provided with full scholarships and fellowships for pursuing studies at the postgraduate, Ph.D., and D.Sc. levels.
6. Scholarships for Higher Education Abroad: Provision of 200 annual scholarships for SC and ST youth to pursue higher education abroad.
7. State-Level Monitoring Committee on Atrocities: Establishment of a state-level monitoring committee under the chairpersonship of the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court to prevent atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
8. Priority Improvement of SC/ST Agricultural Lands under MGNREGA: Priority should be given under the MGNREGA Act to improve agricultural lands belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
9. Creation of ₹5,000 Crore SC/ST Entrepreneurship Fund: Establishment of a ₹5,000 crore Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Entrepreneurship Fund to promote entrepreneurship, contracting, and other business-related skills and entrepreneurial livelihood among SC/ST youth.
10. Bi-annual Meetings in Each Ministry: Every ministry should hold bi-annual meetings, chaired by the respective Cabinet Minister, with stakeholders from SC and ST communities to promote their welfare and ensure implementation of concerns and recommendations expressed in such meetings.
11. Reform in Outsourcing Policy: Reform of the outsourcing policy to ensure proportional reservation for SCs and STs in contracting and recruitment processes.
12. Distribution of housing sites to landless Dalits, Adivasis and EBCs: Guarantee distribution of land parcels/sites to landless Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for building house or dwelling Units in Rural and Urban Areas on priority basis.
13. Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in High Court: Government shall identify qualified and suitable advocates and provide them support for study and exposures enabling them to equip for position of High Court Judge so that the High Court and its benches have fair representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
14. Government Advocates on Record and Other Legal Work to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Advocates: Government shall identify and appoint competent Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe advocates for legal work of the government in court and in advisory consultancies.
15. Formulation of Inclusive Procurement of Goods and Services Policy: Government shall formulate Inclusive Procurement of Goods and Services Policy, enabling Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe entrepreneurs to participate, compete and execute government’s contract and procurement of goods and services, including manpower supply procured through outsourcing.
16. Representation in News and Media Establishment: Government shall make population proportionate representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes mandatory while registering, licensing and offering airwaves to public or private media news or entertainment channels.
17. Assembly Candidature of Scheduled Cates and Scheduled Tribes: Political Parties shall declare population proportionate candidates of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for Bihar Assembly Elections. According to Bihar Caste Survey 2023, SCs/STs deserve 52 seats against the existing 40 seats in Bihar Assembly. According to Caste Survey data, the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes deserve 48 and 4 seats respectively in Bihar Assembly Election.
18. Implementation of Dr. D. Bandopadhyay Committee Recommendations: Bihar Government appointed Dr D BandoPadhyay Committee, which after careful study the situation of Bihar, had given a number of recommendations to improve the well-being of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and others in Bihar. Political parties must guarantee to implement these recommendations.
19. Musahar/Bhuiyan and Other Marginalised Scheduled Caste Community Accelerated Development Plan: Considering the extreme social, educational and economic backwardness of Musahar/Bhuiyan and other marginalised communities of Scheduled Caste, the Government must formulate an Accelerated Development Plan for these communities.
20. Rehabilitation of uprooted Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Bihar: Due to building and construction of large infrastructure projects such as highways in Bihar, a large number of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have been displaced and uprooted from their meagre and land and livelihood. Government must rehabilitate and provide compensation, enabling these people to settle in dignified manner.
In the Bihar elections, voting for the first phase will cover 121 seats, while the second phase will cover 122 seats. For the first phase, the last date for filing nominations is October 17, and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 20. For the second phase, the last date for filing nominations is October 20, and the last date for withdrawal is October 23.
The counting of votes for both phases will be held on November 14, and all election-related processes will be completed by November 16. The state has a total electorate of 7.42 crore, which includes 3.92 crore male voters and 3.50 crore female voters. Political parties had urged the Election Commission to schedule the Bihar election dates immediately after the Chhath festival in late October to ensure maximum voter participation, as a large number of migrant workers return to Bihar during that period for the festivals.
You can also join our WhatsApp group to get premium and selected news of The Mooknayak on WhatsApp. Click here to join the WhatsApp group.