Rise in Vocational Subject Enrollment in West Bengal Higher Secondary Exams

Dipali Sen, MP, Feb 19, 2026, Kolkata: Over 60,000 candidates appeared for vocational subjects in this year’s Higher Secondary examinations, indicating a rise in enrolment in the skill stream, officials said.

Of the 7,10,811 candidates appearing for HS 2026, 63,886 opted for vocational subjects, accounting for 8.99 per cent of the total. Under Semester IV, which has the bulk of candidates, 60,106 of 6,35,864 examinees chose vocational subjects, forming 9.45 per cent. In the Semester III supplementary system, 3,568 of 59,452 candidates, or about 6 per cent, had vocational subjects. Under the old annual system, 212 of 15,495 examinees, or 1.37 per cent, opted for them.

Council figures show that in the last regular Higher Secondary examination under the old annual system, held in March 2025, 23,772 of 4,82,984 enrolled candidates had vocational subjects, accounting for 4.92 per cent. In the Semester III examination held in September, 62,103 of 6,60,260 enrolled candidates, or 9.41 per cent, had vocational subjects.

Examinations in 16 vocational subjects under the semester system and 13 under the old annual system were held on Wednesday, with officials reporting that the papers were conducted smoothly.

West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education president Chiranjib Bhattacharya said the rise in vocational candidates was encouraging and reflected growing interest in skill-based education under state and national policies.

Experts, however, said the increase would need to be matched by adequate infrastructure and trained teachers.

Council sources said a proposal had been sent to the school education department to take over academic responsibilities for vocational education, including the syllabus, textbooks, and question papers. The proposal is yet to receive a response, sources said.