A fresh political controversy erupted in Bihar on Thursday after Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav took a swipe at the educational qualifications of Bihar Health Minister Nishant Kumar. Using sarcasm to target the ruling alliance, Yadav remarked that he had complete faith in Bihar's Education Minister and was confident that Nishant Kumar would eventually be made an engineer.
The comments came shortly after Nishant Kumar was elected to the Legislative Council. In the affidavit submitted as part of the election process, he disclosed details regarding his educational background. According to the affidavit, he studied at the Birla Institute of Technology Mesra and completed five of the eight prescribed semesters of an engineering programme up to the year 2001. The disclosure drew attention because Nishant Kumar had often been perceived as an engineering graduate, similar to his father, Nitish Kumar.
When journalists questioned Tejashwi Yadav about Nishant Kumar's qualifications, he responded with a sarcastic remark aimed at the state government. He said he had full confidence in Bihar's Education Minister and that if one individual could become a professor, another could certainly become an engineer as well.
The comment was widely interpreted as a reference to Ashok Choudhary, who formally assumed the role of assistant professor earlier this year. Choudhary delivered his first lecture in political science at AN College in March after receiving the appointment. Tejashwi used this example to suggest that academic qualifications and appointments had become subjects of political debate in the state.
The RJD leader did not stop with Nishant Kumar. During his remarks, he also targeted the educational credentials of senior leaders in the ruling establishment. He alleged that Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary did not possess a degree and further claimed that there had been a longstanding controversy surrounding the academic qualifications of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tejashwi Yadav argued that, unlike others whom he accused of concealing their educational backgrounds, he had always been transparent about his own qualifications. He stated that he had never attempted to misrepresent his educational record and had openly disclosed it in official documents.
According to Yadav, while he had publicly acknowledged his academic background, others had allegedly hidden their genuine qualifications and presented questionable credentials. He reiterated that transparency was important and suggested that public representatives should be honest about their educational achievements.
The remarks also revived discussion about Tejashwi Yadav's own educational history. In previous election affidavits, he declared that his highest educational qualification was completion of Class 8. He has often explained that he left school during Class 9 to pursue a career in professional cricket, a decision that later led him into public life and politics rather than higher education.
The exchange highlights how educational qualifications continue to be used as a political issue in Bihar, with leaders from both the opposition and ruling alliance frequently questioning each other's academic credentials as part of broader political battles. While Nishant Kumar's affidavit disclosure triggered the latest round of criticism, the debate quickly expanded into a wider discussion about transparency, qualifications, and the educational records of prominent political figures at both the state and national levels.
