In an unusual administrative twist, the Bihar government has put on hold the appointment of one of its own ministers, Ashok Choudhary, to the post of assistant professor in political science. The decision stems from a discrepancy involving two different versions of his name appearing in official documents.
The Core Issue: Two Names, One Candidate
Ashok Choudhary, the 57-year-old Minister for Rural Works Department, was among 274 candidates who successfully cleared interviews for the position of assistant professor in political science conducted in June 2025. The interviews were the culmination of a prolonged selection process that began five years earlier when the Bihar State University Service Commission (BSUSC) first advertised the posts.
However, during the final scrutiny, authorities discovered that the minister uses two variations of his name. His educational certificates bear the name Ashok Kumar, while his election affidavits and public life identify him as Ashok Choudhary. This inconsistency has become the primary reason for withholding his formal appointment letter.
A Process Marred by Delays and Controversy
According to sources within the university service commission, the name discrepancy was flagged during the final verification stage. "We had gone by his educational certificates at the time of initial scrutiny, but the final scrutiny shows two names," a commission source revealed. A higher education department official confirmed that the matter is pending due to "lack of some clarifications including name discrepancy."
This development adds another layer to an already contentious appointment process. While the other 17 candidates allotted to Pataliputra University, along with thousands of others across ten state universities, received their appointment letters last month, Choudhary's case remains in limbo.
Political Embarrassment and Broader Context
The situation presents a significant political embarrassment for the ruling Janata Dal (United) party. A senior party leader privately admitted to the awkward optics, stating, "First, a minister from the ruling party getting selected invited attack from the Opposition as a conflict of interest. Now, the name discrepancy brings added embarrassment."
Minister Choudhary himself has declined to comment, saying he has "no idea" about the status of his appointment.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of widespread criticism over delays in the BSUSC appointments. The process, first advertised in September 2020, has been dogged by controversies including allegations of fake experience certificates and research papers, leading to multiple litigations. The selection dragged on for nearly five years before interviews were finally held.
In December 2025, shortlisted candidates for political science had even petitioned the Chancellor, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, highlighting that the delay caused "immense anxiety, hardship and psychological trauma." While candidates from other specialisations had received their postings, those for political science faced further hold-ups, with the BSUSC issuing approved college allotments only on December 15, 2025—six months after the interviews.
The case of Minister Ashok Choudhary now sits at the intersection of bureaucratic procedure, political scrutiny, and a long-awaited academic recruitment drive that continues to face challenges.
