West Bengal to equip 1,200 schools with digital learning tools, introduce AI in Class 11 and 12

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday said his administration would introduce smart classrooms, video-based learning and modern infrastructure in government schools as part of efforts to improve the quality of education in the state. He also accused the previous TMC regime of willfully depriving state-run schools of their much-needed development funds. Addressing a programme for the distribution of composite grants to over 80,000 state-run schools whose financial burden is shared between the Centre and state on a 60:40 ratio, Adhikari said the state was fully aligned with the aspirations of the National Education Policy, 2020.

"The reason why state schools were deprived of receiving this grant ever since its inception three years ago was because of the previous government's erroneous education policies, arrogance and utter neglect of the educational institutions," Adhikari alleged, insisting that a state cannot progress without modernising and strengthening its education system. The CM underscored the need to revitalise and overhaul the state's education sector and said that the government has already signed multiple MoUs with the Centre to achieve that goal.

"Work is underway towards an education system that promotes foundational learning with focus on our past heritage and culture, experiential and competency-based education, critical thinking, creativity, innovation, digital literacy and vocational skills," the CM said.

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Adhikari said high-quality audio-visual educational content would be made available through the Paschim Banga Siksha Portal and the PM eVIDYA channel. He also announced the introduction of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Data Science in higher secondary education. More than 1,200 government and government-aided schools are being equipped with digital learning aids and interactive educational technology, with a focus on benefiting students in remote and rural areas, Adhikari said.

The chief minister said approval had been granted for setting up Atal Tinkering Laboratories in 1,000 higher secondary schools with science streams and that more PM SHRI schools would be established in the state. "These schools are being developed as Centres of Excellence that demonstrate the ideals of the National Education Policy through holistic education, digital learning, environmental sustainability, experiential pedagogy and community participation," he said. These institutions will serve as role models for schools across the state, and over Rs 2,000 crore has been allocated for this purpose in this year's budget, the chief minister said. Claiming that the quality of education had collapsed under the previous TMC government, Adhikari said the Centre and the state were now working together to improve the education system and raise academic standards.