Poll-bound Bihar ranks last in most social and economic indicators

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the grand alliance (Mahagathbandhan) are gearing up to face each other at the Bihar Assembly elections. Voting is scheduled on November 6 and 11 and the results will be announced on November 14. An indicator-based analysis of the State shows that it features somewhere at the bottom on most economic and social measures.

The table below shows Bihar’s rank in various social indicators and its score for each parameter in 2019-21, 2015-16, and 2005-06. It also lists the scores of the top three highest ranked States for each parameter.

As of 2019-2021, only 61% of Bihar’s female population had ever attended school. This makes it the State with the second lowest share among the 29 States whose data we considered for this parameter. Similarly, 41% of women (aged 20-24) in Bihar were married below the age of 18. The State ranks second highest among the 29 States for this parameter.

Bihar’s rankings on health indicators paint a bleak picture. Where India’s infant mortality rate was 35.2 (infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births), Bihar’s was notably higher at 46.8. The State also had the lowest share of population that used improved sanitation facilities; and the highest share of underweight children in 2019-21. Even in some indicators where the State did not fare as poorly in 2015-16, its rank slid to the bottom tier by 2019-21. For instance, in terms of share of wasted children (underweight for their height), Bihar ranked 20 out of 29 States in 2015-16, and 27 out of 29 in 2019-21.

Notably, in all the health and women empowerment-related indicators listed in the table, Bihar never once featured among the top 15 ranked States in 2005-06, 2015-16, or 2019-21. In fact, the State only regressed in successive years in most indicators.

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a score created by the UNDP to assess a nation or subnation on the basis of length of life, access to knowledge, and standard of living. India’s average HDI score was 0.644 as of 2022, while Bihar’s was 0.609. In this measure, Bihar stood last among the 27 States that had data in 2022. Goa ranked first with a score of 0.791, while Kerala ranked second with a score of 0.789.

The table below shows Bihar’s rank in terms of Human Development Index

Bihar was also the worst performing State in 2023-24 in terms of per capita net State domestic product (at current prices). Per capita net State domestic product measures the average economic output per person in a State. Bihar’s ranking was also poor in terms of employment in the manufacturing and services sectors.

In 2023–24, manufacturing accounted for only about 6% of total employment in the State, while the services sector contributed around 25%.

The table below shows Bihar’s ranking in share in manufacturing and service sectors

Bihar ranked second last out of 29 States in terms of Gross Enrollment Rate for higher education. Only 17.1% of those who completed school entered college education in Bihar. The State ranked 28th in terms of Gross Enrollment Rate for higher secondary education. Only 35.9% of children in the eligible age group entered higher secondary classes. It also had the third highest dropout rate in the country among secondary school students. The table below shows Bihar ranking in education-relagted indicators.

Despite the low rankings, the State scored well in environmental indicators. The State only generated 0.61 tonnes of plastic per 1,000 population, ranking 6th out of 29 States. It also consumed the lowest amount of fossil fuel per capita among 29 States. However, it is to be noted that States with lower industrial activity may have lower fossil fuel consumption.

The table below shows Bihar’s ranking in environmental indicators

Source: Niti Ayog, Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation, National Family Health Survey, Reserve Bank of India

[email protected]

Published – October 29, 2025 08:00 am IST