Kolkata, July 30 -- In a major initiative to bring migrant workers' children, school dropouts and students who have discontinued their studies back into the mainstream education system, the West Bengal Education Department on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Paschim Banga Samagra Shiksha Mission (PBSSM) and the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).

"The primary goal is that no child should drop out of school. Every child must remain connected to education," School Education Minister Dipak Barman said, adding that the initiative is in line with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) and the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

Under the arrangement, a student enrolled with NIOS in one state will be able to continue studies and appear for examinations from another state without interruption. For instance, a student registered in Kerala who later shifts to Odisha can continue studying and take examinations in their own language from a designated NIOS centre there.

"Many parents migrate in search of work due to socio-economic compulsions. When families move, children's education is often disrupted and many eventually drop out. NIOS provides an effective mechanism to bring such children back into the education system," Barman said.

The initiative will cover students from Classes I to VIII as well as the Secondary and Higher Secondary levels. Unlike conventional schools, learners will not be required to complete courses within a fixed academic year and will be free to study and appear for examinations at their own pace. NIOS certificates are recognised on a par with those of ICSE, ISC, CBSE and state boards.

The minister said the state government has also begun revising school curricula. A syllabus review committee is examining textbooks scheduled for publication in 2027. "There will be some changes in the textbooks before their publication in 2027 as recommended by the syllabus committee. From 2028, there will be a comprehensive overhaul of textbooks and syllabi from Class I onwards in accordance with the National Education Policy," he said.

Barman also said schools will be free to choose the colour of students' uniforms and school buildings in keeping with their traditions. However, the Biswa Bangla logo will be removed from school uniforms. He further clarified that teachers transferred as "surplus" will retain the right to seek a transfer to a location of their choice.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.