Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan criticized West Bengal for not implementing the National Education Policy, resulting in the state losing central funds worth Rs 10,000 crore. He mentioned that the policy emphasizes education in the mother tongue, which in West Bengal would be Bengali. Pradhan highlighted that had the policy been implemented, additional funds would have been allocated under the Samagra Shiksha Mission.
Pradhan also accused the West Bengal government of rejecting additional funds proposed for Jadavpur University. He pointed out statistics indicating a decline in the state’s education system under the Trinamool Congress regime led by Mamata Banerjee. West Bengal reportedly has nearly 4,000 schools without a single teacher, representing about 50% of such schools nationwide.
The Education Minister further criticized the state for low internet penetration in government schools, standing at 16% compared to the national average of 70%. He expressed that if the BJP wins the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal, the education sector will be a primary focus for improvement.
