West Bengal Revises Syllabus, Adding Mookerjee and Removing Singur Chapter

The West Bengal government will include the life and contributions of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, in school textbooks while removing the chapter on the Singur anti-land acquisition movement from the curriculum. School Education Minister Deepak Barman announced the changes on Wednesday, saying the revised syllabus would place greater emphasis on the history of West Bengal and its prominent personalities. The committee appointed to prepare the revised syllabus has completed its work, he said.

Under the changes, Mookerjee will receive a brief introduction in every textbook, highlighting his life and contributions. The Singur movement, which featured in the earlier Class 8 syllabus, will be removed. The committee has also recommended dropping the chapter on the Kanyashree scheme from Class 6 textbooks. The revisions form part of a broader effort to update the content taught in state-run schools.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) will be introduced as a structured subject for students from Classes 5 to 8, with a prescribed syllabus. The government will also introduce third-language textbooks for students in Classes 7 and 8. In another change, the complete text of Vande Mataram will be printed at the beginning of every textbook. Barman said the quality of paper used for school textbooks had also been improved.

Also Read: Republican Thomas Massie Pushes to Impeach Trump’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in US

The government is separately discussing whether to continue with the existing pass-fail system in schools, with a decision expected shortly. It is also considering changes to the 2027 Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examination schedules to avoid a clash with the Census exercise. Schoolteachers are expected to be deployed for Census-related duties, prompting the authorities to examine alternative examination dates.

The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education has proposed conducting the Madhyamik, or Class 10, examinations from March 2 to 16 instead of the earlier February 15 to 25 schedule. The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education is also expected to propose holding the fourth-semester Higher Secondary examinations after March 16, rather than following the tentative January 22 to February 23 schedule.

Barman said the government had received the proposals from the two boards and would announce the revised examination dates by next week. The proposed changes would affect the school curriculum, textbook content and examination calendar for the 2027 academic year.

Also Read: CBI Brings Back Delhi Sexual Assault Accused From UAE