Complete Rate Card: All Skill Levels
Single uniform Bihar rate. Monthly, daily (26 days), hourly (8 hours). Source: Government of Bihar, effective April to September 2026.
| Skill Level | Monthly | Daily (26) | Hourly (8) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unskilled Loader, Cleaner, Helper, Peon, Guard |
Rs 11,336 | Rs 436 | Rs 55 |
| Semi-Skilled Store keeper, Driver, Operator assistant |
Rs 11,752 | Rs 452 | Rs 57 |
| Skilled Electrician, Cashier, Mechanic, Technician |
Rs 14,326 | Rs 551 | Rs 69 |
| Highly Skilled Supervisor, Senior technician, Graduate clerk |
Rs 17,472 | Rs 672 | Rs 84 |
Bihar also notifies daily and piece rates for agriculture. Daily rates: Unskilled Rs 436, Semi-Skilled Rs 452, Skilled Rs 551, Highly Skilled Rs 672. Monthly figures use a 26-day month.
How the Bihar Wage Is Built Up
Example: Unskilled worker, monthly figures. Bihar adds a per-day VDA of Rs 8 (about Rs 208 per month) on top of Basic.
Basic Wage
Rs 11,128
Government-notified base rate. Basic + DA must be 50 percent of total under the Code on Wages, 2019.
VDA / Month
Rs 208
Variable Dearness Allowance, Rs 8 per day for Unskilled. Linked to AICPI and revised every April and October.
Total / Month
Rs 11,336
Floor wage payable. Cannot fall below this under Section 22.
Basic and VDA must appear as separate line items on the payslip under the Payment of Wages Act, 1936.
True Cost of 1 Minimum-Wage Worker in Bihar
Statutory add-ons on top of Rs 11,336 Unskilled base. Bihar Unskilled gross stays under Rs 21,000, so ESI applies.
4 Things Every Bihar Employer Must Do
01
Pay at or above the notified rate
Apply the current uniform Bihar rate per skill level. Update payroll on 1 April and 1 October when the new VDA takes effect. Pay arrears from the effective date if the notification publishes late.
02
Maintain statutory registers
Keep Form I (Muster Roll), Form II (Wage Register with Basic + VDA separated), Form III (Deductions), Form IV (Overtime) under the Bihar Minimum Wages Rules. Preserve for 3 years.
03
Pay within the wage cycle
Wages payable by 7th of next month (under 1,000 workers) or 10th (1,000 plus) under the Payment of Wages Act, 1936. Overtime at twice the ordinary rate under Section 14.
04
Display the wage notice
Post the current Bihar minimum wage notice in Hindi and English at the workplace within 30 days of revision.
Which Skill Category Does Your Worker Fall Under?
Bihar notifies 4 skill levels across scheduled employments.
Unskilled
Loader, Cleaner, Helper, Peon, Guard
Semi-Skilled
Store keeper, Driver, Operator assistant
Skilled
Electrician, Cashier, Mechanic, Technician
Highly Skilled
Supervisor, Senior technician, Graduate clerk
Cost of Underpayment in Bihar
Section 22 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 applies. The Bihar Labour Resources Department inspects construction, brick kilns, retail, and security units.
Industry Note
The same uniform rate applies in Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, and rural districts. Bihar wages remain among the lowest in India, so accurate VDA tracking matters at every cycle.
Brick kilns and agriculture carry separate daily and piece rates. Check the source notification for piece-rate figures.
Bihar VDA Trend (Unskilled)
Six-month VDA notification (monthly equivalent), latest first.
Earlier-period VDA figures are indicative. Confirm exact prior amounts against the matching Bihar notification.
Auto-apply Bihar wages on every payslip
factoHR India tracks Bihar April and October notifications, applies the per-day VDA, and flags any payslip below the floor wage.
Book a DemoApr / Oct auto-update
Per-day VDA aware
Floor wage guardrail
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Other State Wage Pages
Bihar Minimum Wages FAQ
Run Bihar Payroll Without Spreadsheets
factoHR India auto-applies the latest Bihar wages per worker. No missed April or October cycles.
If you employ staff in Bihar, the same workforce is also covered by Professional Tax in Bihar, working-hour and overtime rules in Bihar, and the public holiday calendar for Bihar. Keep every Bihar statutory obligation aligned across your payroll.