With the announcement of the Bihar Assembly elections, the Mahagathbandhan has made one of its most ambitious promises yet. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has announced that if elected, his government will ensure one government job for every family that currently has no member in government service. This comes amid the backdrop of rising unemployment and promises of job creation from the ruling NDA and debutant Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj.
’20-20 Formula’ For Implementation
Tejashwi introduced what he called a “20-20 formula” to implement this plan. He said that within 20 days of forming the government, a law would be passed, and within the next 20 months, every eligible family in Bihar would be provided a government job. Calling the promise “historic and transformative,” Tejashwi positioned it as the centerpiece of his election campaign. In today’s DNA, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor, of Zee News, analysed Tejashwi Yadav’s job promise and its feasibility:
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#DNAWithRahulSinha | नौकरी के लिए तेजस्वी का 20-20 फॉर्मूला! बिहार चुनाव में आज की खबर क्या है?
नीतीश Vs तेजस्वी..किसकी क्या ‘गारंटी’?#DNA #BiharElections #BiharPolitics #BiharNews @RahulSinhaTV pic.twitter.com/463S7pTXY3
— Zee News (@ZeeNews) October 9, 2025
Numbers Behind the Promise
According to the Bihar Caste Survey 2023, the state has around 2.76 crore families. Of these, approximately 18 lakh individuals are currently employed in government service. Assuming one government employee per family, that leaves about 2.58 crore families without any government employee. To fulfill his promise, Tejashwi’s government would therefore need to provide jobs to 2.58 crore people.
However, data shows that there are only 5 lakh vacancies in Bihar’s government departments, making such a large-scale recruitment drive virtually impossible.
The Fiscal Challenge
Currently, the Bihar government spends about Rs 54,000 crore annually on salaries. If 2.58 crore people were to be given government jobs, even at a minimum monthly salary of Rs 25,000, the annual salary bill would rise to around Rs 7.7 lakh crore — more than two and a half times the total state budget of Rs 3.17 lakh crore.
Analysts say such a move would push Bihar toward financial collapse. Moreover, questions remain over the practicality of employing so many people when the government lacks the work or positions to accommodate them.
Political Reactions
Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi compared Tejashwi’s promise to “offering farmhouses on the Moon and Mars,” calling it unrealistic. Tejashwi, however, insists that his commitment is based on a “scientific study” and not a mere slogan, though critics say he has yet to present a clear roadmap for implementation.
Political Implications
Despite the economic impracticality, political observers believe the promise could prove to be a masterstroke. With a large segment of Bihar’s youth aspiring for secure government jobs — viewed as symbols of stability, social respect, and financial safety — Tejashwi’s announcement could help him capture the imagination of young voters and dominate the electoral narrative.
The Nitish Kumar government claims to have created 8 lakh government jobs between 2005 and 2020, and an additional 10 lakh jobs between 2020 and 2025.
While Tejashwi’s promise of one job per family could reshape the campaign landscape, experts say it remains more of a political slogan than an economic possibility.
