Now Reading: Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari backs pass-fail return, school phone ban
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Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari backs pass-fail return, school phone ban
The Story in Brief
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday, 25 October 2026, said he personally favoured restoring the pass-fail system in state schools and banning mobile phones in schools. He made the remarks at Ramnagar in East Midnapore, while also criticising investment summits held by the previous Trinamool Congress government as ‘fraudulent’ and alleging crores of rupees were wasted without delivering meaningful results. The Deccan Chronicle reports that Adhikari said his government had allotted land to 33 entities and was considering agreements involving IITs and the Adani Group.
The Times of India notes that Adhikari clarified any decision on education would be guided by the National Education Policy 2020 and recommendations of Bengal's syllabus committee. The committee, reconstituted after the BJP came to office, supports reintroducing the pass-fail system and will formally discuss it after the festive season, sources told the newspaper. The former Left Front government had adopted a no-detention policy till Class 8 in 2010 in line with the Right to Education Act, while NEP now provides for academically weak students in Classes 5 and 8 to repeat a year. Adhikari also called for reintroducing Bratachari, NSS and NCC in schools.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both outlets report the CM's personal preference for restoring the pass-fail system and banning phones, but with different emphases. Deccan Chronicle leads with Adhikari's attack on past TMC investments as ‘fraud’, while The Times of India foregrounds the education debate, quoting the syllabus committee chairperson, teachers, and researchers on both sides of the detention policy. The uniform reporting of Adhikari's statements leaves the policy outcome open: the syllabus committee will meet after the festive season, and the CM has said the government will abide by its recommendations. No source reports when that meeting will be held.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): deccanchronicle.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
