West Bengal Primary Education Act, 1973

An Act to make better provisions for the development, expansion, management and control of primary education with a view to making it universal, free and compulsory.

Chapter – I (Preliminary)

• Short Title, Extent and Commencement
• Definitions – In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context

Chapter – II (The Board)

• Establishment and incorporation of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education
• Composition of the Board
• Appointment in default of Election
• Publication of names of members of the Board
• Term of office of members of the Board
• Casual Vacancies
• President of the Board
• Discharge of President’s functions in certain contingencies
• Disqualification for membership
• Resignation and removal of members
• Meeting of the Board
• Conduct of Meetings
• Restriction of voting
• Secretary, Finance Officer and other persons in the service of the Board
• Traveling Allowance
• Adhoc Committee

Chapter – III (Powers and functions of the Board and the President)

• Powers and functions of the Board
• Powers and duties of the President

Chapter – IV (Committees of the Board)

• Committees
• Curriculum Committee
• Evaluation Committee
• Development Committee
• Finance Committee
• Power to constitute other Committees
• Terms of office of members of the Committees
• Power of the State Government to dissolve Committee

Chapter – V (Finance and Audit)

• Annual report and budget estimate
• Payment to the Board by the State Government
• West Board of Primary Education Fund
• Application of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education Fund
• Accounts
• Audit
• Audit Report

Chapter – VI (The Primary School Councils)

• District Primary School Councils
• Calculate Primary School Council
• Appointment in default of Election
• Publication in the Official Gazette
• Term of office of members
• Casual Vacancies
• Chairman of a Primary School Council
• Discharge of Chairman’s functions in certain contingencies
• Disqualifications for membership
• Resignation of members
• Meetings of the Primary School Council
• Conduct of meeting
• Restriction on voting
• Removal
• Duties of the Chairman
• Secretary and Finance Officer of Primary School Council
• Other staff of the Primary School Council
• Traveling Allowance
• Control by Board
• Other staff of the Primary School Council
• Traveling Allowance
• Control by Board
• Supersession of Primary School Council and appointment of an Administrator
• Duties of the Primary School Council
• Reports to be made by the Primary School Council
• Primary School Council to furnish other prescribed reports
• Compulsory acquisition of land for the purpose of the Act
• Transfer of primary schools under the control of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation
• Transfer of primary schools under scheme sanctioned under West Bengal Act XXVIII of 1993

Chapter – VII (Committees of the Primary School Council)

• Committees
• Power to constitute Committees

Chapter – VIII (Finance and Audit)

• Budget
• Primary School Council Fund
• Application of the Primary School Council Fund
• Expenditure from Primary School Council Fund
• Accounts
• Audit

Chapter – IX (Contributions)

• Contribution from State Revenues
• Contribution from Calcutta Municipal Corporation and Municipalities

Chapter – X (Taxes and Cesses)

• Tax on property
• Education Cess

Chapter – XI (Free and Compulsory Primary Education)

• Preparation of scheme
• Particulars of scheme
• Sanction of State Government to the scheme
• Modification, etc., of sanctioned scheme
• Primary Education to be free
• List of children
• Welfare committee
• Guardians to furnish information
• Duty of Guardian to send his child to a primary school
• Attendance order
• Penalty for failure to obey order for causing attendance of a child in a primary school
• Cognisance of offence

Chapter – XII (Tribunal)

• Tribunal
• Procedure to be followed by Tribunal

Chapter – XIII (Transitional provisions)

• Adhoc Committee to discharge the functions of Primary School Council until it is established
• Matter to be provided by regulation may be provided by orders of State Government
• Provisions for removing difficulty
• Filling of vacancy when a member ceases to be a member of the category electing him
• Appointment when electing body is superseded

Chapter – XIV (Miscellaneous)

• Power of State Government to suspend proceedings
• Enquiry into the affairs of the Board and the Primary School Council
• Certain persons to be deemed to be public servants
• Indemnity
• Savings
• Delegation
• Repeal and continuance
• Power of the State Government to make rules
• Power of State Government to issue notification or order in place of making rules

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