Bihar teachers and education department employees who were credited excess salary have been told to refund the money by Monday, November 2, with the Finance Department warning that failure to return the excess could invite disciplinary and legal action. The department has directed District Education Officers across the state to ensure that the refunds are made, Patna Press reported.

Source: Patna Press

In Sitamarhi, the District Programme Officer issued the instructions following a Finance Department communication and an October 12 letter from the Education Department's Director (Administration). The Finance Department has also directed officials to verify salary records and figures before releasing the next month's salaries, and the Education Department has begun internal audits of teacher salary payments across all 38 districts of Bihar.

Source: Patna Press

Audit flags Rs 1.85 crore in three districts

An internal audit reported by The Indian Express identified alleged irregularities of about Rs 1.85 crore across three cases in Nawada, Patna and Bhagalpur. In Nawada, a teacher's salary was allegedly inflated through unauthorised allowance entries; in Patna, the alleged excess involved salary and house rent allowance calculations; and in Bhagalpur, officials are investigating alleged payments of Rs 98.12 lakh made in the name of a fictitious teacher. Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari told The Indian Express that all 38 districts were being audited, with the exercise aimed to be completed by mid-November.

Source: The Indian Express via Education Post

Rs 1.85 croreAlleged irregularities flagged in the Nawada, Patna and Bhagalpur audit cases
38 districtsCovered by the internal teacher-salary audit
Nov 2, 2026Deadline to refund excess salary
Rs 98.12 lakhAllegedly paid in Bhagalpur in a fictitious teacher's name

In Motihari, an alleged illegal payment of more than Rs 60 lakh was detected through the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) portal, and an FIR was registered against a madrasa teacher and a computer operator on the directions of the Education Department's Additional Chief Secretary, Patna Press reported. In the Bhagalpur case, the District Education Officer and the District Programme Officer were suspended and FIRs were registered against both officials, the report said; in related departmental action last month, a clerk was suspended and an operator jailed over the alleged creation of the fake teacher ID.

Source: Patna Press

The wider scrutiny began last month. In a letter dated October 9, Finance Department Principal Secretary Vinay Kumar asked the education and home departments to scrutinise the salaries and allowances of all employees before releasing the next month's payments, ensure recovery of excess payments, and act against any Maker, Checker or Approver found responsible for irregularities at any stage of salary processing, Careers360 reported. The Education Department employs more than six lakh teachers and other staff. All the irregularities described above remain allegations under investigation; the final amount of confirmed loss and individual responsibility have not been established.

Source: Careers360