Along with Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala have not signed on to the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme of the Union government. While the three language formula of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a problem as far as the Tamil Nadu government is concerned, in West Bengal, the concerns are more to do with funding and branding, according to officials there.
A major point of conflict between the West Bengal and Union government is the withholding of West Bengal’s share of funds under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan program (SSA) by the Central government, in light of the Mamata government’s refusal to join the PM-SHRI scheme which was rolled out in September 2022. PM-SHRI seeks to overhaul and upgrade government schools as model or exemplar schools whose blueprint rest of the schools could follow.
The Union ministry’s official document in this matter states that the SSA is aligned with the recommendations of the NEP’20 and the “PM-SHRI scheme supplements the efforts of Samagra Shiksha.” As of 2024, a total amount of ₹7,853.65 crore was approved for West Bengal under the SSA during the last five years (2019-20 to 2023-24). Of this, ₹6,049.56 crore has been released to the State. Some ₹1,804.09 crore is still pending.
In this regard, West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu said, “Such a decision by the Central government is highly illegal, undemocratic, and shows an arbitrary attitude. Despite the approval of the Finance Ministry and the permission of the Internal Finance Department of the Education Ministry, how did the Education Ministry withhold the due money? The money for this project has been withheld to fulfill political objectives and interests.”
While Mamata Banerjee and Bratya Basu have given various reasons for not signing the PM-SHRI MoU with the Centre, a senior state education official said there are two key objections: nomenclature of the scheme and the financial share of the State.
Education falls under the concurrent list, with the Centre and the State sharing the budgeting responsibility in a 60:40 ratio, respectively, for PM-SHRI. According to a senior official who wished to remain anonymous, the Mamata Banerjee-led government is facing challenges in meeting its 40 percent share of the scheme’s funding.
“The Central Government never releases funds to us on time, which is causing financial strain in many departments. We actually cannot afford the 40% budget of the PM-SHRI, and the State government also has to fund its own initiatives too,” he said. “If the State is also going to contribute 40% of the funds, then why shall the programme be named after the Prime Minister?” he continued.
Officials from West Bengal went to New Delhi for consultations in 2024 but the deadlock persisted. The Chief Secretary, Education Secretary, and the Education Ministry subsequently wrote to the Central government, seeking clarification on why funds to West Bengal were not being released. Meanwhile, to address the ongoing disagreements, the West Bengal government established a 10-member committee on April 7, 2023, to develop a 178-page State Education Policy (SEP) in 2023, proposing significant amendments to the Centre’s existing NEP’20.
Differences between NEP 2020 and SEP 2023
The NEP’20 advocates a three-language policy which means, besides the mother tongue and English, the third language could be any Indian language, not necessarily Hindi, unlike the education policies of the previous Congress and UPA governments. West Bengal’s SEP’23 takes a flexible approach leaning towards the State – much emphasising on the language of the medium of instruction, English, along with Hindi or any other regional language as optional.
The SEP’23 suggests that the three-language formula is to be introduced in schools for the students of classes 5 to 8, and the first language (mother tongue) would be the medium of instruction of the school – Nepali in Nepali medium school or Urdu in Urdu medium school. The second language may be English (in non-English medium) or any language other than the first language, depending upon the choice of the student. The third language may be any other language opted for by the student other than the first and second languages.
As per SEP’23, the three-language formula shall be applicable for the upper primary level only, as the language learning ability in the primary stage should not be burdened.
The West Bengal government wants to retain the existing 4+4+2+2 model, emphasizing local needs and maintaining continuity in the state’s educational framework, in contrast to the Centre, which proposes a 5+3+3+4 school structure, focusing on foundational, preparatory, middle, and secondary stages.
When it comes to autonomy in governance, the NEP’20 leans towards a centralised approach, proposing uniform guidelines for curricula, teaching methodologies, and assessment patterns across states. In contrast, SEP’23 emphasises state autonomy, advocating greater control over curriculum design, teacher training, and evaluation methods. The state argues that this flexibility allows it to preserve its cultural heritage, address regional educational needs, and implement policies that resonate more closely with local aspirations.
Stress on Bengali language
The SEP’23 recommends introducing Bengali as a subject from Class I to Class XII for students in non-Bengali medium schools, with a suitable curriculum and syllabus to be developed accordingly. Additionally, the 10-member committee suggests that the curriculum, syllabus, and textbooks for other mediums of instruction approved by the government should be prepared in their respective languages, ensuring inclusivity and linguistic diversity.
What’s on ground
The West Bengal government in May 2023 announced the implementation of NEP’20 in colleges run and aided by the State from the academic year 2023-24. A press release of May 2023 says that a four-year undergraduate level programme will be introduced. “They shall be awarded degrees in accordance with the UGC National Curriculum and Credit Framework [NCCF] for UG-level programmes,” it continued.
The guidelines said that the universities are to follow a flexible undergraduate of three-year and four-year degree programs featuring multiple exit options, allowing students to earn a certificate after one year, a diploma after two years, a bachelor’s degree after three years, and a bachelor’s degree with research after four years. Mr. Ikbal Ansary, Assistant Professor (English) from Berhampore Girls’ College, Baharampur, West Bengal told The Hindu that nearly all universities and colleges in the State have adopted the NEP’20 guidelines, with regular workshops being organised for staff to enhance their understanding of the new education framework.
Mr. Ikbal highlighted the challenges and said, “As it is still in an experimental process, students are unable to understand the syllabus of the course and are not clear what they are going to do in the 7th and 8th semester (4th additional year). The university has failed to clear the confusion of students. Only after a batch graduates will we truly understand the situation with the eighth semester,” he continued.
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Published – February 27, 2025 07:29 pm IST