The West Bengal government has constituted a syllabus-cum-curriculum committee to review and recommend major revisions to the curriculum, syllabus, and textbooks for Classes 1 to 12. The move aims to align the state’s school education system with the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 and the latest National Curriculum Frameworks (NCF).
According to a notification issued by the School Education Department, the committee will examine primary, secondary, and higher secondary courses to ensure they conform to NEP 2020, NCF for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS 2022), NCF for School Education (NCF-SE 2023), and modern pedagogical practices.
The committee has been tasked with reviewing current evaluation and examination practices across different education boards in the state. It will recommend a scientific evaluation policy aimed at reducing academic pressure and mental stress on students, including those requiring special care.
To improve the quality of assessment at the secondary and higher secondary levels, the panel will suggest reforms to shift away from rote memorisation and cramming in favour of conceptual understanding and critical thinking.
A key directive for the committee is finding ways to curb the growing dependence on private coaching by strengthening classroom instruction. The panel will explore integrating modern, global best practices into classroom teaching, including audio-visual aids and technology-driven instruction. Additionally, it will review teacher training programs to help educators pivot from textbook-heavy teaching toward fostering genuine subject comprehension and scientific inquiry.
The committee will be chaired by Prof Debashis Chatterjee of Kalyani University’s chemistry department. Arindam Banerjee, administrative officer and ex-officio joint director of School Education, will serve as the member secretary.
The panel comprises presidents of the state primary, secondary, and higher secondary education boards, the director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and subject experts and mentors from universities, colleges, and schools across various disciplines.
The committee is required to submit a preliminary report within two months of its first meeting. A final report will be submitted three months after incorporating feedback from key educational stakeholders.