Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has claimed that West Bengal missed out on approximately ₹10,000 crore in central education funding because the state government did not implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in its entirety. The assertion was made during a teachers’ conference organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kolkata.
According to Pradhan, this funding loss has affected critical sectors such as school infrastructure and teacher support, and was avoidable if the state had aligned fully with NEP provisions.
1. What the Minister Said
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan alleged that:
- The *West Bengal government refused to adopt the NEP 2020, leading to lost central assistance worth around ₹10,000 crore.
- The state turned down additional funds proposed for institutions such as Jadavpur University.
- Pradhan claimed that nearly 4,000 state schools in West Bengal operate without a single teacher, amounting to a significant share of such schools nationally.
- He also criticised the state for poor digital penetration in government schools, stating only about 16 % have internet access compared with the national average of around 70 %.
Pradhan argued that implementing NEP provisions, especially the emphasis on education in the mother tongue (in West Bengal’s case, Bengali), would have unlocked additional funding — particularly under the Samagra Shiksha Mission — and brought broader educational benefits.
2. What Is NEP and Why It Matters Here
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a comprehensive framework intended to transform India’s education system from early childhood through higher education. While NEP is a policy recommendation and not a binding law, it includes guidelines that states can adopt voluntarily to improve outcomes and qualify for certain central support schemes.
When a state chooses to implement NEP principles — such as curriculum reforms, multilingual education, and structural changes — it becomes eligible for additional central funding through flagship schemes like the Samagra Shiksha Mission, which aims to promote universalisation of education and equity in school systems.
Pradhan’s comments suggest that by not formally adopting NEP, West Bengal lost access to those enhanced funding streams — a point that has been echoed in other contexts where states may link fund disbursal with compliance or alignment to central schemes.
3. Political Response and Counter‑Claims
The West Bengal government has challenged Pradhan’s assertions, calling them “baseless and concocted.” State officials argue that:
- West Bengal already adopted its own state education policy in 2023, which they say incorporates many suitable aspects of NEP without compromising state priorities.
- The data used by the Centre on issues like teacher vacancies and internet connectivity has been contested, with claims that figures may be inflated or derived from erroneous categorisations.
- State authorities maintain that they fulfilled criteria for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan funding and that funding disbursal issues stem from administrative or procedural factors rather than outright non‑adoption.
This dispute reflects larger tensions between the federal government and certain state administrations over policy autonomy, central funding conditions, and the implementation of NEP‑linked initiatives.
4. Broader Context of NEP Adoption and Funding
The conversation around NEP adoption and central funds isn’t unique to West Bengal. Other states, including Tamil Nadu and Kerala, have previously resisted full NEP implementation, leading to debates over education policy, language provisions, and financial incentives.
A Parliamentary Standing Committee report noted concerns about withholding Samagra Shiksha funds to states that hadn’t signed on to PM Schools for Rising India (PM‑SHRI) — a scheme showcasing NEP reforms — highlighting how fund allocation has become entangled with policy alignment.
5. What This Means for West Bengal’s Education Sector
Pradhan’s remarks have opened a broader conversation about:
- How central funding mechanisms influence state policies
- Whether tying educational grants to NEP adoption affects state autonomy
- The condition of school infrastructure, teacher availability, and digital access in West Bengal
Supporters of NEP argue that full implementation can modernise curriculum and expand resources for students, while critics contend that enforcement through funding conditions may undermine cooperative federalism and disregard local priorities.
