Constitution of Expert Committee to Examine Class I to XII

Government of West Bengal
School Education Department
(Secondary Branch)
Bikash Bhaban, Bidhannagar, Kolkata – 700 091

No. 122-SE(S)/ES/S/10M-64/11 dated 17.01.2012

NOTIFICATION

The State Government had constituted a Committee on Experts under Notification No. 849-SE(S)/ES/S/10M-64/11 dated 20.07.2011 with subsequent Notifications. 902-SE(S)/ES/S/10M-64/11 dated 4.8.2011, 1006-SE(S)/ES/S/10M-64/11 dated 30.8.2011, 1561-SE(S)/ES/S/10M-64/11, dated 15.12.2011 and 16-SE(S)/ES/S/10M-64/11 dated 02.01.2012 to examine the entire syllabi, curricula and texts from Class – I to Class – XII in West Bengal and to suggest modifications thereof in line the provisions of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, National Curriculum Frame Work – 2005 & 2009. The Committee was also requested to examine and recommend measures to improve the standard and quality of education in West Bengal including method of instruction and evaluation of the intellectual and physical progress of students. The Committee has submitted its interim report on 18.11.2011 and the same has since been examined by the School Education Department of the State Government. On a detailed examination of the report the State Government has accepted all the recommendations made by the Committee its interim report except the two as noted below. In case of other recommendations of the Expert Committee the decision of the State Government are also given below:

1. The State Government is unable to accept the Committee’s recommendation for gradual implementation of the no detention policy within a span of3 (three) years. There is a statutory obligation imposed upon the State Government under Section – 16 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, where it has been clearly laid down that no child admitted in a school shall be held back in any class or expelled from school till completion of elementary education. Thus the State Government is bound by legal obligation under the Act to ensure that no student is held back in any class in any school till completion of elementary education up to Class-VIII.

2. The State Government is also unable to accept the interim recommendation of the Expert Committee for declaration of the State Council of Educational Research & Training, West Bengal as the Academic Authority ,for the entire syllabi, curricula and texts from Class- I to Class-XII in place of the concerned Boards/ Councils. The State Government feels that at present the State Council of Educational Research & Training, West Bengal is not fully equipped to fulfill this role of the Academic Authority till its restructure and re-organization. Thus the State Government has decided that for the academic sessions 2012 and 2013 the Boards/ Council will continue to be the Academic Authority under their respective jurisdiction. But in discharge of their role as the Academic Authority they are to be guided by the aid and advice of the Expert Committee already constituted by the State Government. At the same time the State Government is taking various steps for strengthening the State Council of Educational Research & Training, West Bengal and it is expected that the State Council of Educational Research & Training, West Bengal will be in a position to take over the role of the Academic Authority from the academic session 2014.

3. West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education, West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and West Bengal Board of Primary Education are therefore requested to immediately reconstitute their Syllabus Committee so that the respective Syllabus Committee with the active guidance, help and advice of the Expert Committee can revise the syllabi and curricula and texts in line with the recommendations of the Expert Committee. The State Government also accepts the recommendations of the Expert Committee that the curricula, syllabi and texts for Classes – I, III, V, VII, IX and XI are to be revised and re-written as per recommendations of the Expert Committee immediately so that the revised syllabi, curricula and texts can become effective from the academic session 2013. This exercise is to start immediately and completed by July 2012 so that the revised text books can be printed well ahead of the academic session 2013.
Similarly, the respective Boards I Council will also revise and re-write the curriculum, syllabi and texts for the rest of the classes with the active help and advice from the Expert Committee by middle of 2013 so that the texts can be printed and the revisions be effective in these classes from the academic session 2014. State Government also accordingly requests all the concerned Boards and the Expert Committee to maintain the strict schedule and ensure that the texts for Classes – I, III, V, VII and IX are made and duly printed and sent to all the schools so that they are made available to the students well ahead of the academic session 2013. Similarly, the State Government also requests the concerned Boards and Expert Committee to ensure that the texts for the rest of the classes are finalized and printed and send to all the schools well ahead of the academic session of 2014. For the current academic session 2012 the existing syllabi, curricula and text will be followed mutatis mutandis.

4. At the same time the State Government feels that proper training of the Teachers and other related functionaries in the syllabi, curricula and texts as well as mode of instructions and pedagogy is absolutely essential for proper implementation of the new syllabi. Accordingly the Expert Committee is also hereby empowered to prepare training modules in consultation with the respective Board! Council, Director of School Education and the State Project Director, Paschim Banga Sarba Shiksha. Mission (PBSSM) for teachers and all other connected officials. The training programme should also begin as early as possible and the State Project Director, PBSSM is also requested to chalk out a detailed training schedule in consultation with the Chairman, Expert Committee so that teachers across the State are trained in the revised syllabi, curricula and texts before the start of the academic session 2013.

5. In order to enable the Expert committee to du1y guide, help and advise the Syllabus Committee of the respective Boards/ Council the State Government feels that the term of the Committee should be extended for a further period of 2 (two) years till 31st December, 2013.

6. On due consideration of the above the Governor is pleased to further extend the term of the Expert Committee constituted under this Department Notification No. 849-SE(S)/ES/S/10M-64/11 dated 20.7.2011 and subsequent Notifications already referred to for a further period of2 (two) years till 31st December, 2013.

7. In order to ensure that the Expert Committee can continue its work in an unhindered and uninterrupted way it is also hereby ordered that it will be provided a semi permanent office at Nibedita Bhaban under West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education is therefore requested to ensure that necessary space and other facilities as required by the Expert Committee are duly provided to them. Other infrastructural support in terms of Data Entry Operators, Script Writers etc. will be provided by the State Project Director, Paschim Banga Sarba Shiksha Mission (PBSSM) as per requisition to be submitted by the Secretary of the Expert Committee.

8. The State Government further feels that the Expert Committee also need be strengthened by providing it with some subject wise experts who are to be made members of the Committee. Accordingly, the State Government hereby authorizes the Chairman of the Expert Committee to select such subject experts in consultation with other members of the Committee and place his recommendations to the State Government for issuance of necessary Government Notification for inclusion of such experts in the Expert Committee. Further the Chairman, Expert Committee has also requested the State Government to ensure that some members of the Committee can be placed at the disposal of the Expert Committee on full time basis so that they can devote their entire attention to the task of revision of the curriculum, syllabus and texts in accordance with the interim recommendations of the Expert Committee. Accordingly the State Government hereby authorizes the Chairman of the Expert Committee to nominate such members of the Expert Committee whose services need be placed at the disposal of the Committee on full time basis. On receipt of such recommendation from the Chairman of the Committee the State Government will take necessary measures for placement of the services of such members at the disposal of the Committee on full time basis till expiry of its term on 31.12.2013. For Chairman and other non-full time Members of the Committee, TA/DA as per existing scale will be provided by the State Project Director, Paschim Banga Sarba Shiksha Abhiyan on the basis of monthly claims or per diem basis. The entire expenditure on this account will be borne out from the Project Management fund of Sarba Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). The Chairman and other members as authorized by the Chairman can also undertake visit to the districts to ascertain the views of the cross section of teachers and other connected officials as may be required. TA/DA as admissible as per existing rules will be paid to them for this purpose from the office of the State Project Director, PBSSM. State Project Director will also help the Expert Committee to organize such district meetings.

9. The State Government expresses its sincere gratitude to the Chairman and the other members of the Expert Committee for their hard and sincere work in examining the existing syllabi, curricula and texts and for its well considered recommendations to the State Government within time.

Sd/- VIKRAM SEN
Principal Secretary to the Government West Bengal

No. 122-SE dated 17.01.2012