Artificial Intelligence and Data Science to merge as one subject

MP, 6 Nov 2024, Kolkata: The West Bengal Board of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) has decided to merge the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science (DS) subjects starting from the 2025-2026 academic year. 

These two subjects were introduced in the 2023-2024 academic year. The decision is driven by overlapping curricula and waning interest in DS. 

“We have decided to combine AI and DS due to significant overlap in their curriculum, especially in the semester III and IV of Class XII,” explained Chiranjib Bhattacharya, president of WBCHSE. 

“Moreover, AI’s popularity has surged, while DS hasn’t garnered the same level of interest and popularity. Maintaining DS as a separate subject no longer seems justified.” The combined subject will be named Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. 

Many schools in the city that introduced AI and DS reported low to no takers. For instance, Jadavpur Vidyapith had only 3-4 students enrolled in each subject. Park Institution faced similar challenges. 

Supriyo Panja, Headmaster of Park Institution, stated: “We got permission to start these subjects at the last moment in 2023. We weren’t able to admit any students. This year, initially, two students had taken AI, but one changed the subject. No student has taken DS.” 

Additionally, some schools have not shown interest in introducing these subjects due to the lack of separate teacher posts for them. Permanent approved teachers in Computer Science are permitted to teach these subjects. 

Soudipta Das, Assistant Headmaster of Pannalal Institution, said: “Every school has one teacher for Computer Science and Computer Application. At the Higher Secondary level, six classes per subject are mandatory. 

Based on that calculation, one teacher needs to take 22-24 classes in one week in schools that have Computer Science and Computer Application. If we introduce another two subjects, how will one teacher teach four subjects? He/she will have to take 36 classes in a week.” 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/cm-may-visit-darjeeling-next-week-585826?infinitescroll=1