West Bengal Sets Up Panel to Review School Curriculum in Line with NEP 2020

MP, July 25, 2026, Kolkata : The West Bengal government has constituted a Syllabus-cum-Curriculum Committee to review the curriculum, syllabus and textbooks for Classes I to XII and recommend changes in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Frameworks (NCF).

A School Education Department notification issued on July 24 said the committee will review the curriculum followed at the primary, secondary and higher secondary levels and recommend revisions to the curriculum, syllabus and textbooks in line with NEP 2020, the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (2022), the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (2023) and recent developments in pedagogy.

The committee will review the evaluation and examination systems and recommend a scientific policy of evaluation that reduces academic pressure and mental stress, including for students requiring special care.

It will also recommend measures to reduce dependence on rote learning and memorisation without compromising the quality of assessment.

The committee will examine how students’ dependence on textbooks and notes can be gradually shifted towards a proper understanding of the curriculum to foster enquiry and curiosity.

The committee will also examine ways to eliminate the "present menace and dependence" on private tuition, with emphasis on classroom instruction.

The committee will further examine how modern scientific developments and best practices in India and abroad can be incorporated into classroom teaching, including through audio-visual methods.

It will also review the teacher training system to promote better understanding of subjects among students.

The committee has also been asked to recommend measures to improve the quality of school education, promote scientific knowledge and ensure the overall development of every student.

The committee will be chaired by Kalyani University chemistry professor Debashis Chatterjee.

Arindam Banerjee, Administrative Officer and Ex-Officio Joint Director of School Education, has been appointed Member Secretary.

Its members include the presidents of the primary, secondary and higher secondary education boards, the Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), subject mentors from universities and colleges, and headmasters and teachers representing various subjects.

The committee has been asked to submit a preliminary report within two months of its first sitting and a final report within three months thereafter after considering feedback from stakeholders.