What a cook does, and how the wage is set
Cooks prepare food in bulk for canteens, hostels and events while managing hygiene and stock. Experience with volume cooking places them in the semi-skilled grade.
A cook typically does bulk cooking, menu work and kitchen hygiene, work generally classified as semi-skilled for minimum-wage purposes, so use the semi-skilled category in the table above for the base rate. A supervisor or a specialised cook may sit a grade higher and must be paid more. Cooks are commonly deployed at canteens, hostels, hotels and catering firms.
Bihar revises the VDA twice a year, effective 1 April and 1 October, based on the All-India Consumer Price Index. The basic rate changes only when a fresh notification is issued. For how Bihar structures and revises its rates in full, including every category and zone, see the Bihar minimum wages page.
What employers must do
- Pay every cook at least the notified minimum for their category and zone. Paying below it is an offence.
- Pay overtime at twice the ordinary rate for work beyond normal hours.
- Maintain a wage register, muster roll and wage slips, and pay within the wage period.
- Update payroll at each revision so no worker slips below the new minimum.
For staffing firms deploying cooks across Bihar, keeping each worker on the right category and zone rate by hand is error-prone. ZeniaHR payroll checks every wage against the applicable state minimum automatically and handles the registers and PF/ESI returns. See also our statutory compliance software.
Related calculators
Work out the deductions on a Bihar wage with the in-hand salary calculator, the PF calculator and the ESI calculator.
Keep every worker on the right wage
ZeniaHR flags any worker paid below the applicable minimum and updates rates at each revision. Built for manpower and staffing firms.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage for a cook in Bihar?
A cook is generally classified as semi-skilled, so the applicable minimum wage in Bihar is about ₹452 (per day). Confirm the exact rate for the zone and duties against the official notification.
Is a cook skilled or unskilled in Bihar?
For minimum-wage purposes a cook doing bulk cooking, menu work and kitchen hygiene is normally treated as semi-skilled. Classification can vary with the exact duties and the scheduled employment, so always confirm against the official Bihar notification.
How often does the Bihar minimum wage change?
Bihar revises the VDA twice a year, effective 1 April and 1 October, based on the All-India Consumer Price Index. The basic rate changes only when a fresh notification is issued.