India is the world’s most populous country and has a fascination with government jobs, especially for the civil services. Every year, lakhs of students enroll themselves in the civil services examination courses in UPSC coaching in Bihar for exams like UPSC and BPSC across the country. These students are studying hard and appearing for exams like UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) and BPSC (Bihar Public Service Commission) by holding a dream in their eyes to become IAS, IPS, IRS, or state administrative officers.
These civil service roles mean more than salary or security to the people of India, as they symbolize power, respect, and the ability to bring meaningful change.If we compare other states to Bihar, then we find that it contributes 17–20% of total UPSC applicants annually, which holds around 8% of India’s total population. From small villages to towns like Patna, Bhagalpur, and Nalanda, young students study hard where they face scarcity of electricity and internet, but still they give their best by doing late-night study in lantern light to achieve the dream of UPSC/BPSC.
In this blog, we will discuss why Bihar consistently produces so many civil services aspirants .And how historical, cultural, social, and structural factors motivate them to pass the toughest exam in India.
1. Historical & Cultural Legacy
Bihar holds the majority of leaders and thinkers who are influencing India’s governance, education, and political landscape, like Dr. Rajendra Prasad, who was India’s first president and is from Bihar. Jayaprakash Narayan, who led the “Total Revolution” movement in the 1970s, is known as a youth icon in Bihar. Karpoori Thakur, the former Chief Minister of Bihar known as the “Jan Nayak,” stood for backward and marginalized communities and worked for their development and well-being. These leaders are those legends who inspire generations to generation in pursuing public services with hard work and simplicity.
Also, Bihar always took an active part in every freedom struggle and gave importance to values, justice, and equality. This is the reason that it has become a state where a large number of females are working in government jobs. People follow the culture of activism and responsibility that can be seen in the civil services. In Bihar, becoming an IAS or IPS officer can not just raise the individual’s status but also increase the entire family’s status.
2. Education-Oriented Mindset
Bihar is facing infrastructure and transportation challenges due to environmental factors like floods, but it still has a strong focus on education and career growth. Education is the way that gives you identity, self-respect, and social mobility. Parents who belong to Bihar understand the value of education and support their children to achieve their goals; they see it as a gateway to dignity and empowerment. Whether an individual is a teacher, professor, or government officer, they get more value and respect as compared to the person who has more wealth or a successful business.
If we compare urban or developed cities like Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai, where the private sector dominates over the government, in Bihar, people complete their education to have a secure and stable government job, so that they can give time and care to their family. This is also a reason why they keep UPSC/BPSC at the top of their list.
3. Family & Societal Pressure
In Bihar, to become an IAS officer or SDM by passing the civil services exam is mostly not a personal decision; it’s a dream of family or societal expectations. The majority of families have a dream to see their child as an IAS or IPS officer. Parents even sacrifice their land or life to earn a living to give financial and emotional support to their children, and can pay coaching and hostel fees in Patna or Delhi.
Also, students get motivated by those who crack each stage of UPSC and BPSC and study hard to achieve that level. This mindset of people creates a competitive ecosystem among students that gives them prestige and value in society. And also their family and upcoming generations become an example for those who are still struggling to achieve the dream of becoming IAS or IPS.
4. Lack of Job Opportunities in Bihar
The other big reason why Bihar produces so many civil services aspirants is due to a lack of job opportunities within the state. Bihar still does not have enough of an industrial base that provides employment to the residents of Bihar. Bihar has fewer MNCs, IT parks, or private companies that provide them good salaries with extra benefits or have long-term career growth.
Most people in India made a practical decision to get a government job, as it gives job security, steady income growth, and social recognition, especially for students who belong to the SC/ST/OBC and EWS categories. Also, there is less chance of any dissemination because civil services give a fair and merit-based result by avoiding systemic or societal inequalities.
5. Strong Coaching Ecosystem
In Bihar, cities like Patna have a strong infrastructure for civil services coaching and provide affordable hostels to students who are preparing for civil services exams. Patna is a center of many coaching centers, and one of them is Deoghar IAS Academy. Bhagalpur, Purnia, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, and Nalanda are also emerging as places for coaching centers that are providing affordable training, mentorship, and guidance to aspiring students.
The easy recharge plan of the internet by JIO makes it possible for aspirants who are living in rural Bihar and can’t afford offline coaching to now access online coaching from various online platforms like Deoghar IAS Academy, which is working hard and bringing high-quality material to support their students. The government and NGOs are also supporting them financially and emotionally, which helps students to get their dream job. They also provide hostels, libraries, and teaching sessions at an affordable rate that act as a strong support for the students in their journey.
6. High Volume of Exam-Taking Population
Bihar is one of India’s youngest and fastest-growing states, with a young and enthusiastic mindset that makes it a center for students who are preparing for competitive exams. Bihar has 55% of the population below the age of 30, raising the demand for employment and the need to increase status in the society,y that paves the path for the preparation of civil services examinations.
In Bihar, millions of students graduate from Bihar’s universities and colleges every year, and many of them have a singular aim of cracking government exams, especially civil services exams. People are becoming aware of the civil services exam through social media, coaching channels, and mobile phones. Students are also getting education support at affordable prices and making the dream of clearing the UPSC/BPSC exam achievable.
7. Success Stories that Inspire
Every year, Bihar produces role models who’ve cracked UPSC and BPSC from modest backgrounds and become role models for the students who lack basic amenities and want to become civil servants. Such role models are Kundan Kumar, who, from Gopalganj, cleared UPSC while working as a laborer’s son. Alok Ranjan, who is the son of a farmer from Nalanda, became an IAS officer.
These success stories are acting as a motivation for new aspirants and encouraging them to crack the UPSC or BPSC exam, and once the student gets selected, then the happiness is shared by the entire village through grand welcomes and celebrations. Local newspapers used to cover the story on their front page, and schools and colleges invited them to pass on messages to the students that “nothing is impossible. If I can do it, you can also achieve it.”
8. Medium of Instruction: Hindi
In preparation for any government exam, language plays an important role in getting success in UPSC and BPSC exams. In Bihar, most students choose Hindi as a medium of examination, as they have a strong command of Hindi, and the best part is both BPSC and UPSC allow candidates to write mains and interviews in Hindi or any regional language, meaning they can attempt the exam in a language in which they are more comfortable.
UPSC students from Bihar are Hindi-medium students who have less command of the English language, face problems in understanding study material in English, but most coaching centers in Bihar offer Hindi-medium classes with the best quality of books, notes, and test series. Permission to use regional Hindi eliminates the big barrier of using English, especially for talented students belonging to other states. This is behind the success of rural and semi-urban Biharis cracking the civil services exam, even though they come from poor backgrounds and have a Hindi background.
Conclusion
The contribution of Bihar in serving the country by cracking UPSC and BPSC is the outcome of cultural pride, historical legacy, educational values, societal aspiration, and structural challenges. The people in the state have fewer opportunities, but civil service exams give them hope, dignity, prestige, values, and a pathway to change their lives and live happy and successful lives with their families while becoming role models for aspiring students. With the best coaching institutes like Deoghar IAS Academy, which are providing the best quality of study material through their online or mock tests, they are accessible for BPSC students from Bihar.
