The Patna High Court has issued a landmark order directing Bihar universities to expedite the recruitment process for thousands of vacant librarian posts across the state. The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo and Justice Harish Kumar sharply criticized the prolonged inaction of the state government and university administrations regarding vacancies for librarians, deputy librarians, and assistant librarians.
The Court observed that librarians are not merely administrative staff but custodians of intellectual resources and “information scientists” essential to the academic ecosystem of universities. It noted that continued vacancies reflect a serious failure in maintaining the educational health of the state.
To address the issue, the High Court fixed a strict timeline for the recruitment process. Universities that have not yet submitted vacancy details to divisional commissioners have been directed to do so within one week. Divisional commissioners must complete roster clearance formalities within two weeks of receiving the requisition, following which universities will have another two weeks to forward recruitment proposals to the Directorate of Higher Education.
The Court’s observations came during proceedings related to the severe shortage of library professionals in Bihar’s universities. Data presented before the Court revealed alarming vacancy figures across institutions. Munger University reportedly has all 17 sanctioned librarian posts vacant, while Patliputra University has all 21 posts lying vacant. Lalit Narayan Mithila University has 37 vacancies out of 38 sanctioned posts, and Jai Prakash University has 57 vacancies out of 58 sanctioned positions.
At Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, 24 out of 35 librarian posts and 37 out of 42 assistant librarian posts are vacant. Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University, Purnea University, and BN Mandal University also reported near-total vacancies in library departments.
Reacting to the order, President of Dr. Ranganathan Rajya Pustakalaya Samiti, said the decision validates years of legal and social struggle to revive the library system in Bihar. He stated that the Court acknowledged the impossibility of maintaining a healthy academic environment without librarians.
Petitioner described the ruling as a transformative decision benefiting lakhs of students and researchers in Bihar. He argued that university libraries had deteriorated over the years due to the absence of professional librarians, with books and academic resources lying neglected.
Dr. Amit Kishore, President of the Bihar Library Science NET & PhD Holders’ Association and coordinator of the case, welcomed the Court’s remarks emphasizing the role of librarians in research and academic accuracy. Referring to the Court’s observation, he stated that while Google may provide thousands of answers, a librarian helps find the correct one.
Association Secretary Dr. Ajay Rai also expressed hope that the order would finally create employment opportunities for qualified NET and PhD candidates who have remained unemployed for years despite massive vacancies in university libraries.