Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary stated that in West Bengal, only 52 government schools out of more than 82,000 schools have been onboarded under the Vidyanjali initiative of the Ministry of Education.

 

Replying during Question Hour, the Minister noted that the number of volunteers participating in the scheme from the state is significantly lower compared to other states. The Minister said the volunteer count under the scheme is very low compared to the other states because the students are hesitant due to the attitude of the state government. The Minister informed that over 2,000 students from West Bengal are currently registered as volunteers under the scheme. He further remarked that due to the narrow political approach, students in the state have been deprived of the full benefit from the initiative. 

 

Vidyanjali is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Education with the objective of strengthening schools through community and private sector participation across the country. The programme seeks to connect schools with a wide range of volunteers, including members of the Indian diaspora, young professionals, retired teachers, retired government officials, NGOs, private and public sector companies, corporate institutions, and other stakeholders, to contribute to the overall development of schools.