No semester system in West Bengal primary schools; Mamata Banerjee pulls up education minister
Vagisha Kaushik | January 3, 2025 | 12:25 PM IST | 2 mins read
West Bengal CM asks Bratya Basu to consult with her and chief secretary before introducing any policy.
NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has said no to the semester system in primary classes, pulling up education minister Bratya Basu for introducing the policy without her approval.
In a review meeting with the ministers and top bureaucrats at the state secretariat, the West Bengal CM reportedly told Basu to discuss the policy matters with her beforehand.
The West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) announced a semester system for Classes 1 to 5, starting from January 2025. The decision received opposition from teachers and experts who expressed concern about a lack of teachers.
"This ( semester in primary schools ) will not happen (here). I do not want to put unnecessary pressure on children but want to reduce the weight of their school bags. This cannot be applicable to primary school students who cannot even talk properly. Whatever system is there in schools would go on. There will not be any semester system in schools," Banerjee was quoted as saying.
The minister added that the semester system can be applied to colleges and universities because the students of higher education are accustomed to it.
"I did not know nor did the chief secretary about the introduction of the semester system in primary classes. I have seen this in the newspaper. Look, Bratya, you are an education minister but please remember that if there is a new policy decision then please consult us," the PTI report further quoted the CM.
The CM also asked how the decision reached the media and snarked that four advisors took the decision and placed it in public.
Education minister’s explanation
Defending his position, the education minister said that he sent the proposal to the chief secretary and assured the CM that a decision would be made only after she okays it. He later told reporters that the board of primary education had sent a proposal to the West Bengal education department.
As the chief minister has not given her consent to the proposal, the policy will not be implemented, he added.
With inputs from PTI
Follow us for the latest education news on colleges and universities, admission, courses, exams, research, education policies, study abroad and more..
To get in touch, write to us at news@careers360.com.
Next Story
]Featured News
]- NEET was far from fair even before paper-leak controversies
- Same Exam, Old Nightmare: NEET 2026 cancelled, paper-leak probe, NTA reform, re-neet – the story so far
- IIT Jodhpur’s Hindi BTech is breaking the English-only mould, model for others to follow: Director
- ‘Part of culture’? IIT Ropar PhD scholars say fear keeps harassment cases buried, rarely reach ICC
- Number of student suicides rises 80% in 10 years, 8.5% of total: NCRB report
- ANRF PAIR Programme gives Rs 100 crore to just 7 hub-spoke networks, rest get Rs 2 crore grants
- Pharmacy Council of India revamps B Pharma syllabus with AI, hospital training; rollout from 2026-27 session
- Education ministry’s school management committee guidelines 2026 mandate 2 sub panels, 2-year term for member
- No AI product, no MBA degree: BITSoM Mumbai integrates artificial intelligence across all management courses
- Mumbai University ropes in ed-tech firm to make AI-powered ‘job skills test’ must for UG, PG students