The current list of districts in Bihar contains 38 names in the National Informatics Centre directory. The count is straightforward, but some official names differ from the English shorthand used in exam notes. Keep the official list beside your map and you can resolve those differences quickly.
The table below is a district directory, not a ranking of districts by population or size. District boundaries, Census units and administrative divisions answer different questions, so they need separate sources.
How many districts are in Bihar?
Bihar has 38 districts in the NIC Integrated Government Online Directory. The directory links district entries to their government portals. Use the state or district government for a later change; a printed list can lag an official notification.
List of Bihar districts and government links
The 38 names below follow NIC’s current directory. Links open a district-government portal where it is available. For an unavailable portal, the row links to NIC’s district-specific directory entry instead. This table is alphabetical for quick lookup, not a division-wise or population ranking.
| District | Government link |
|---|---|
| Araria | araria.nic.in |
| Arwal | arwal.nic.in |
| Aurangabad | aurangabad.bih.nic.in |
| Banka | NIC district entry |
| Begusarai | begusarai.nic.in |
| Bhagalpur | bhagalpur.nic.in |
| Bhojpur | bhojpur.nic.in |
| Buxar | buxar.nic.in |
| Darbhanga | darbhanga.nic.in |
| Gaya | gaya.nic.in |
| Gopalganj | gopalganj.nic.in |
| Jamui | jamui.nic.in |
| Jehanabad | jehanabad.nic.in |
| Kaimur (Bhabua) | kaimur.nic.in |
| Katihar | katihar.nic.in |
| Khagaria | khagaria.nic.in |
| Kishanganj | kishanganj.nic.in |
| Lakhisarai | lakhisarai.nic.in |
| Madhepura | madhepura.nic.in |
| Madhubani | madhubani.nic.in |
| Munger | munger.nic.in |
| Muzaffarpur | muzaffarpur.nic.in |
| Nalanda | nalanda.nic.in |
| Nawada | nawada.nic.in |
| Pashchim Champaran | NIC district entry |
| Patna | NIC district entry |
| Purbi Champaran | eastchamparan.nic.in |
| Purnia | purnea.nic.in |
| Rohtas | rohtas.nic.in |
| Saharsa | saharsa.nic.in |
| Samastipur | samastipur.nic.in |
| Saran | saran.nic.in |
| Sheikhpura | sheikhpura.nic.in |
| Sheohar | sheohar.nic.in |
| Sitamarhi | sitamarhi.nic.in |
| Siwan | siwan.nic.in |
| Supaul | supaul.nic.in |
| Vaishali | NIC district entry |
Which Bihar district names are easy to confuse?
These distinctions matter when you compare a current district list with older notes or a map:
- The directory uses Purbi Champaran and Pashchim Champaran. These are the eastern and western Champaran districts often named East and West Champaran in English resources.
- Kaimur appears as Kaimur (Bhabua), making the headquarters name visible in the directory label. Don’t count Bhabua as an additional district.
- Patna is one district in the list as well as the state capital; the city and district are related but not identical geographic units.
How should you study Bihar’s districts?
For BPSC preparation, learn the district names with a Bihar map and then add division names from the state government’s administrative list. Work from west to east once; a memorized alphabetical list won’t help much when a question asks which district borders another state or a river basin.
For the wider exam pattern, use our BPSC exam guide. A district list is most useful when it sits beside an official map and a few relevant geography facts; the names by themselves are only the first layer.
Can you compare today’s districts with Census 2011 population figures?
Only with care. Census India’s population finder reports 2011 population, while this directory describes the current administrative list. When a district was created, renamed or redrawn later, its present row does not automatically have a directly comparable 2011 figure. Quote the source year and boundary basis with any population number.
More district lists
The same official-source method is used in our districts in Rajasthan and districts in Maharashtra guides. For Uttar Pradesh, use the existing UP district reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many districts are in Bihar?
NIC’s current state directory lists 38 districts in Bihar. Check the directory again if a later government notification changes the list.
Where can I find the official Bihar district list?
Use NIC’s state-wise Integrated Government Online Directory. The table on this page follows its 38 rows and links district-government portals or NIC entries.
Are East and West Champaran separate districts?
Yes. NIC lists them separately as Purbi Champaran and Pashchim Champaran. East and West are common English renderings of those names.
Are district and division the same thing?
No. A district is an administrative unit; a division groups districts where the state uses that layer. A district count cannot be read as a division count.
Do the current districts all have Census 2011 population figures?
Not automatically. Census 2011 used its own district boundaries. A later district may need a separately documented boundary-adjusted figure, so state the year and source with any population number.
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