West Bengal Schools to Get New Syllabus Under NEP 2020 from 2028; Revisions Begin Next Year

West Bengal State Education Minister, Dipak Barman announced that state schools will now follow the revised syllabus from primary to higher secondary classes to align with the National Education Policy, NEP 2020. The newly introduced syllabus-cum-curriculum committee by the school education department to review the current curriculum. Barman explained, this initiative holds a long-term vision of modernising school education, with the panel scheduled to review books for the 2027 session and target the introduction of the updated NEP aligned syllabus in 2028. The state will make  final decisions based on the reviews submitted by the committee.  

Additionally, the department has signed a MoU with the National Institute of Open Schooling, NIOS, to work in identifying, enrolling, and certifying eligible out-of-school children at secondary and higher secondary levels. This collaboration allows the registered students to learn at their own pace and appear for exams from any part of the country within a given five-year timeframe. 

What are the benefits of NEP 2020 

The National Education Policy, NEP 2020 introduces major advantages like a 5+3+3+4 school structure, subject choices, and early vocational training. this aims to make learning practical and reduce stress in students: 

• Replaces the old 10+2 framework to include early childhood education ages 3–6. This structure covers Foundational ages 3-8, Preparatory ages 8-11, Middle ages 1-14, and Secondary ages 14-18 stages.
• Places top priority on achieving foundational reading, writing, and basic math skills for all children by class 3.
• Removes hard separations between arts, science, extracurricular activities, or vocational  tracks. High school students get more choice and choice to pick subject combinations based on their interests.
• Curriculum content is reduced to essential concepts to make room for critical thinking, discovery, and experiential learning.
• Wherever possible, the medium of instruction up to Class 5 will be in the child's home language/mother tongue/local language.
• Introduces hands-on experience in practical crafts during classes 6 to 8, including a 10-day bagless internship period with local experts.
• Board exams for classes 10 and 12 are reworked to test core competencies rather than memorisation. with options for students to take exams up to two times in a school year to improve scores.
• Assessment moved away from simple final marks to detailed, multidimensional report cards reflecting peer evaluation, self-assessment, and teacher feedback.

NEP 2020: How Is it Helping Students 

The National Education Policy, NEP 2020 is helping students today by making school less stressful and more practical. Instead of just memorizing facts, the new approach allows students to pick subjects that interest them and provides early training in job skills. The state has teamed up with the NIOS to help students who are not currently in school get back on track. This helps these students learn at their own pace and gives them five years to complete their exams from anywhere in the country.