Latest news with #WestBengalCouncilofHigherSecondaryEducation
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Eng-Beng-physics worry prompts ‘cluster' schools
1 2 3 Kolkata: The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education is set to introduce a cluster model for schools to address teacher shortage in the higher secondary section. The council conducted a survey of all subjects being taught in Plus-II at state schools and found that around 10,000-12,000 teachers are employed for English and Bengali for 16 lakh-odd students. The survey also revealed a teacher shortage in physics. The main reason behind the shortfall is the recent scrapping of jobs of 26,570 school staffers following a Supreme Court order, migration of teachers from rural schools to urban locations and retirements. To ensure that education is not affected till new teachers are recruited, especially after a semester system was introduced to Plus-II with several new subjects and courses, the state council has decided on launching the cluster system, likely from Oct. Under the cluster system, students at a school, without a teacher in a particular subject, will attend those particular classes with the students of a neighbouring school, which has a teacher in that subject. According to the plan, the joint classes will be held for seven schools, located within a radius of 3.5km-4 km. "Our aim is to provide quality education. We have introduced new science subjects that need more attention. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo So this system will help us ensure a good learning process without merging schools or transferring teachers," said council president Chiranjib Bhattacharya. Officials have completed the mapping of schools in Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, East and West Burdwan, Howrah, and Hooghly. In each district, around 30 clusters have been identified, where they prepared subject- and course-wise clusters to address the teachers' shortage. The exercise will soon be extended to north Bengal. Council secretary Priyadarshini Mallick said, "The mapping of schools located in the districts in south Bengal has already been completed. We will have a meeting with the officials of regional offices to explain the plan so that the school heads in their respective districts, an be briefed about the format."
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
West Bengal introduces environmental science in schools
In a significant academic initiative aimed at nurturing environmental consciousness and academic interest in sustainability, the West Bengal government is set to introduce Environmental Science as a subject in its school curriculum. The move, which targets senior secondary students, is designed to equip them with early exposure and foundational knowledge in the field. The introduction will be phased, with the initial rollout covering schools in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, and North and South 24 Parganas. The announcement, made in December 2024, has garnered considerable interest, with over 1,500 schools opting in ahead of the May 31 deadline. 'Until now, the higher secondary syllabus included Environmental Studies, which allocated 80% of marks for theory and 20% for project work. The new subject, Environmental Science, is being introduced with a revised structure — 70% theory and 30% practical — and will be treated as a core subject,' Dr. Priyadarshini Mallick, Secretary of the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education and architect of the initiative, told The Hindu. Also Read | Courses in Environmental and Sustainability Studies in the U.S. While Environmental Studies will continue to be available as an optional subject, Dr. Mallick underlined the enhanced relevance and future prospects of Environmental Science. 'Environmental Studies has limited academic or professional progression. Environmental Science, on the other hand, is recognised at undergraduate, postgraduate, and research levels, and figures in examinations like PSC, CSC, and UPSC. By introducing it in Class 11, we are laying a systematic and strategic foundation for students' future,' she said. The introduction has been well received by educators. Santanu Kundu, headmaster of Naihati Narendranath Vidyaniketan, remarked, 'The response from students has been very encouraging. Of the 210 science students enrolled in Class 11 this year, 40 have opted for Environmental Science. It provides a stronger academic base and a clearer pathway beyond school, unlike Environmental Studies.' Dr. Manas Kabi, Principal of Asutosh College, echoed the sentiment. 'Environmental Science is a growing area of global research and significance. It is heartening to see students in Bengal gaining access to it at the school level. The Council deserves appreciation for taking this forward-looking step.' Sayanti Kar, a member of the advisory committee for the subject, highlighted the broader impact. 'Environmental Science is a dynamic, multidisciplinary field. Introducing it early fosters not just academic engagement, but also a sense of responsibility. It prepares students to address environmental challenges and contribute to a sustainable future.' The introduction of Environmental Science marks a decisive step by the West Bengal government towards aligning school education with global sustainability goals and academic relevance in a changing world.
Indian Express
12-05-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
Free coaching for JEE, NEET, other competitive exams: Bengal HS board's landmark initiative ‘particularly for rural students'
In a landmark initiative, the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) has launched a free competitive exam coaching program for Class XII science students. This is the first such move by the Council in its 50-year history, aimed at improving student performance in state joint entrance exams, JEE Mains, NEET-UG, and other national-level examinations. Initially, the program will cover students from Kolkata and nearby districts, with plans to expand to other regions in the future. Launched on Monday, the initiative will begin with approximately 208 students from around 65 schools, who will attend subject-specific sessions led by experienced teachers specializing in competitive exam preparation. According to WBCHSE, sessions will be held for four hours daily, with mock tests conducted at the end of each training cycle. Results will be provided on the same day of each test. Most of the coaching will take place during summer and Puja vacations, although some sessions may also be held after regular school hours during the academic term. Speaking to The Indian Express, WBCHSE President Chiranjib Bhattacharya said, 'This is a very unique initiative. In the last 50 years since our inception, such an initiative has never been undertaken. Our primary objective is to support students – particularly those from rural areas – who aspire to pursue engineering or medicine but lack the financial means to afford private coaching. We will provide this support completely free of cost.' Bhattacharya emphasised that many capable students from the districts do not receive proper training opportunities. 'With this initiative, we aim to bridge that gap and support their career aspirations,' he added. The program will be divided into two separate batches: one for engineering aspirants focusing on physics, chemistry, and mathematics (PCM), and another for medical aspirants with a focus on physics, chemistry, and biology (PCB). Students may opt to attend sessions from both batches if they wish. To identify eligible candidates, WBCHSE has shortlisted the top ten science-stream schools in each district based on their 2024 Higher Secondary examination performances. From each school, five to six top-performing science students will be selected for the program. In addition to the coaching sessions, the Council will also launch an interactive query feature through an Artificial Intelligence chatbot. This platform will allow students to raise questions related to competitive exams and receive timely responses. These sessions will be live-streamed on the Council's official Facebook and YouTube channels, and will include open Q&A segments for all interested students.
India Today
08-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
West Bengal becomes first state to adopt semester system in Class 12 board exams
West Bengal has become the first state in India to fully move to a semester-based exam system for its Class 12 (Higher Secondary) board exams. The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) confirmed that from the 2025-26 academic session, students will no longer follow the annual exam format, which had been in place since 1978. While declaring the WB Class 12 result on Wednesday, WBCHSE President Chiranjib Bhattacharya announced that the third semester exams will be held between September 8 and 22, and the fourth semester from February 12 to 27. Except for a few subjects like music and vocational streams, most papers will be of 1 hour and 15 minutes duration. The final score will be based on cumulative performance across both semesters. The first and third semesters will include multiple-choice questions, while the second and fourth will focus on short and descriptive answers to build writing ability. NEW SUBJECTS AND A SECOND CHANCE FOR FAILING STUDENTS The board is also rolling out new subjects such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Applied AI, and Science of Well-Being. Bhattacharya said this would offer students more flexibility and course variety. Students who failed the 2024-25 HS exams can opt into the new system, but only through their schools. Meanwhile, the West Bengal HS results were announced on May 7. Over 4.3 lakh out of 4.7 lakh students passed, with Science students recording a pass percentage of 99.46%. Commerce followed with 97.52%, and Arts stood at 88.25%. (With PTI inputs)
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Bengal HS council adopts semester system in its entirety
Council President Chiranjib Bhattacharya told PTI on Wednesday that according to the format, the third semester exams will be held between September 8 and 22, having a one-hour-and-15-minute duration for each paper except for visual arts, music and vocational subjects. The fourth semester exams will be held from February 12 to 27 next year, and candidates will be given the cumulative evaluation grade from these two semesters, he said. The last exams in the annual system, conducted since 1978, was held in March this year. In the new format, Semesters one and three will be MCQ based before 'to promote thinking and reasoning holistically.' Semester two and four will have SAQ (short answer question), and DQ (developmental quotient) to retain the writing abilities,' he said. Bhattacharya said Bengal is the first state having fully adapted the semester-based education system at the plus two level. 'We have introduced new subjects which include Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Science of Well Being and Applied Artificial Intelligence. The semester system provides a greater flexibility for students in terms of course scheduling, allowing them to adopt a wider variety of courses,' he said. The council has introduced programmes like BOOTSTRAP (a training programme on computer-based subjects), said Bhattacharya. He said those who could not qualify in the recently conducted HS exams have been given the option to migrate to the new format, but their application has to be routed through their educational institutions and not individually. 'We are giving the disqualified candidates a chance to adapt to the new system and do well,' he said. Meanwhile, the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) on May 7 declared the results for the West Bengal Board WBCHSE Class 12 at a press conference in the Vidyasagar Bhawan, Salt Lake, Kolkata. Students who took the West Bengal Class 12th board exams can download their results from the official websites — and after 2 pm. This year, 4,73,919 students appeared for their WBCHSE Higher Secondary exam; of them, 4,30,286 have passed, resulting in a pass percentage of 90.79%, a slight increase from last year's 90%. This year, Science recorded a pass percentage of 99.46%, followed by Commerce with 97.52%, and Arts with 88.25%.
