Minister Pledges to Restore Trust in State Education System

MP, June 12, 2026, Kolkata : Newly appointed School Education Minister Dipak Barman said that restoring public confidence in the state’s education system will be one of his foremost priorities.

Barman, MLA from Falakata, who took charge of his department at Bikash Bhavan on Thursday, claimed that faith in the education system of Bengal had been severely eroded in recent years.

“The belief that education leads to employment and that teachers can teach with honesty and integrity has suffered. Restoring that confidence will be our biggest challenge,” he said.

While acknowledging the urgent need for teacher recruitment across schools in the state, the minister declined to comment on the ongoing School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment controversy.

“There are numerous court cases related to SSC recruitment. I will not comment on the matter until I have thoroughly examined all aspects of it. Give me some time to understand the issue. The situation will not change overnight,” he said.

The issue remains highly sensitive following the landmark ruling of the Supreme Court of India in April 2025, which resulted in the cancellation of nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching jobs.

The court had invalidated the entire 2016 School Service Commission recruitment panel, prompting the SSC to initiate a fresh recruitment process.

Barman also admitted that government and government-aided schools across the state are facing serious challenges.

While some schools suffer from a shortage of teachers, others have adequate teaching staff but struggle with low student attendance.

The minister said the government would work to bring all stakeholders together and rebuild trust in the public education system.