Making Bengali compulsory in schools state's domain: Union govt official

EOI, Kolkata,23 May 2017: Union department of school education and literacy, HRD ministry, secretary Anil Swarup today said the decision of the West Bengal government to make Bengali compulsory in all schools fell in the state's domain and the Centre had no say in it.

"It is state's domain. They have to take the call. In a federal structure Centre doesn't have any say in the matter," Swarup told newspersons. He was answering a question on Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee's proposal to make it mandatory for students to learn Bengali in schools, including those affiliated to ICSE and CBSE.

On the West Bengal government's letter to the CBSE pointing out that questions for Bengali aspirants appearing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for MBBS and BDS were tougher than those set in English, Swarup said, "The CBSE is looking into it (letter)." "It (CBSE) is examining it. But let me say it is the state's domain and I won't comment," he said.