Session change decision likely today

Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, November 11
The final decision on change in academic session in government and aided schools is likely to be taken on Monday.
School education minister Partha De had expressed his desire to change the academic session from present May-April to January-December but is facing difficulty from various quarters. A five member expert committee headed by the directorate of school education Diben Mukherjee was formed to look into the matter. However, three of the five members had spoken against it. The Higher Secondary Council, Madhyamik and the primary education board are also against the change. The committee will submit its report to De on Monday.
De had also run into opposition from former school education minister and the present head of CPM’s education cell Kanti Biswas. Biswas had changed the academic session from January December to May-April in 1989 to maintain parity with the rest of the country. Three of the fourteen teachers associations are opposed to the change, which also includes the CPI(M) backed All Bengal Teachers Association (ABTA).
De along with 11 other teachers’ organisation wants to change the academic session because this will help schools to increase the number of working days. Though the state has instructed schools to have at least 280 days effectively the session is whittled down to 210 days.
Pro-changers say as January is the harvesting season villagers are flush with money and hence will not have any problem in buying books. However, those opposing the move say the economy has improved and people have disposable money throughout the year.
Those against the change feel that by breaking the all India parity, students from Bengal will find it difficult to seek admission in other states. Hence a suggestion has also been made by some educationists to bring forward the session by one month and make it March-April. However, the school education ministry feels that most of the students do not want to go in another state.
Keeping this in mind the school education ministry has decided not to change the schedule of Madhyamik and HS exams. The session change will only affect students studying till Class IX.
However if the change comes about, the ministry will only implement it from 2009 as publishers need time.
Currently the state has three academic sessions – while the schools in the Hills have January-December academic session. Hence 11 teachers association say that if change happens then Bengal would have one academic session.

Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com