The Bihar Cabinet has approved amendments to the Bihar Government Servant Conduct Rules, tightening regulations on the use of social media by state government employees and officers.
Under the Bihar Public Servant Conduct (Amendment) Rules 2026, government servants will be required to take prior permission from the competent authority before creating any social media account. The new rules also ban anonymous or pseudonymous social media accounts and prohibit the use of official email IDs or mobile numbers to operate personal social media handles.
Additional Chief Secretary (General Administration Department) B Rajender said the government approved the amendment after noting repeated misuse of social media platforms by public servants.
“Such examples have come forward in which social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc., are being misused by public servants. It has been taken very seriously by the government, and detailed rules have been notified in this regard,” he said.
The amended rules bar government employees from posting any objectionable content on social media or using platforms in a manner that undermines the dignity of their position or damages the reputation of the government. Employees will not be allowed to express personal opinions on government policies, schemes, or orders of the Supreme Court or High Court on social media.
The rules also prohibit employees from supporting or criticising specific individuals, legal professionals, media organisations, or political institutions online. They further restrict the sharing of classified information and ban portraying government achievements as personal accomplishments.
In addition, the amendment places a complete ban on making videos or reels related to the workplace and on livestreaming any form of official chat or communication on social media platforms.
Rajender said the new framework aims to ensure discipline and responsible conduct among public servants in the digital space, in line with their official duties and responsibilities.
