West Bengal Stands Firm Amid Common Board Proposal Controversy

West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu announced no communication from the Union Ministry about the proposal for a common board for classes 10 and 12. He noted West Bengal's high student pass percentages, questioning the relevance of the plan amid reports highlighting failures in select states.

West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu stated on Thursday that he is yet to hear from the Union Ministry of Education regarding its recommendation for seven states to adopt a common board for classes 10 and 12 after identifying that these states contribute to 66 percent of student failures.

Basu emphasized West Bengal's strong performance in board exams, asserting that the state routinely achieves high pass rates in both the class 10 and class 12 final examinations. 'This issue does not pertain to our state,' he remarked, noting the impressive results outside of the COVID period.

The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and Council of Higher Secondary Education boast pass rates of 86.56% and 90.79%, respectively, this year. Despite the Ministry's recommendation for consistency across Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Manipur, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal, Basu remains unconvinced.

(With inputs from agencies.)