The West Bengal government has directed state-aided schools, colleges and universities to include the life, contributions and legacy of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee in their curricula from the 2027 academic session, while also asking institutions to organise educational and outreach programmes on him.
In a communication issued by the Higher Education Department, educational institutions have been asked to take early action and submit action-taken reports. The move comes ahead of Mookerjee’s 125th birth anniversary and follows recommendations of a high-powered committee constituted under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
The Information and Cultural Affairs Department, in a letter to the School and Higher Education departments, said: “In accordance with the decisions of the High-Powered Committee constituted under the chairmanship of the Hon’ble Chief Minister for the observance of the 125th Birth Anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, you are requested to take necessary steps… for the befitting inclusion of topics relating to the life, contributions and legacy of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee in the curricula at the school, college and university levels.”
The department has also asked the National Library to procure, collect and preserve books, documents, archival records and other material relating to Mookerjee to develop a repository for researchers, students and future generations.
The government has proposed approaching Parliament, subject to applicable rules and permissions, for speeches, debates, documents and other archival material relating to Mookerjee available in parliamentary records.
The Information and Cultural Affairs Department has further asked the Education Department to organise academic and outreach programmes for school and college students, with the involvement of teachers and academic professionals, to familiarise younger generations with Mookerjee’s life, contributions, ideals and legacy.
Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, chairperson of the Syllabus-cum-Curriculum Committee, told The Indian Express that the inclusion should be viewed in an academic context.
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“Education is not about any particular political party; it is about society and its future. He made significant contributions to the field of education and also brought Rabindranath Tagore to deliver a speech in Bengali. He played an important role in shaping West Bengal and held meetings to make people aware of the importance of preserving West Bengal,” he said.
“Students should learn about his contributions, understand their historical significance, and draw meaningful lessons from them. Learning about such contributions can help students better understand the history, society, and development of West Bengal,” Chatterjee said.
The committee has also recommended exploring international academic collaborations to establish chairs in Mookerjee’s name at reputed institutions in Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Myanmar. The proposed collaborations could also help identify and preserve archival material relating to his life and historical associations in these countries, according to the communication.
The state has additionally recommended installing busts, statues or other commemorative representations of Mookerjee on the campuses of identified schools, colleges and universities, wherever considered appropriate.
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Headmaster of Jadavpur Vidyapith Partha Pratim Baidya said the younger generation should be familiarised with Mookerjee’s role in the history of Bengal.
“The present generation does not have a clear idea about who Syama Prasad Mookerjee was and his contributions. We know a lot about the Mughals. The contribution of Syama Prasad Mookerjee to keep West Bengal in India has been erased. Today, it has become necessary to have it as students should know about his contributions,” he said.
Sawagata Basak, headmistress of Taki Boys’ School, said historical figures whose contributions had not been adequately represented should be included in the curriculum.
“Even we did not know so much detail about his contributions and the contributions of others in shaping West Bengal. Not only him, but there are many whose names have not come in history and whose contributions are not preserved, so children do not get to know about them. I feel that all, including Syama Prasad Mookerjee, should be in the syllabus,” she said.
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Ananda Handa, general secretary of the Primary Teachers Council, however, questioned the move. “Students should be taught about icons who played a crucial role, but we see that Syama Prasad Mookerjee supported the British, so I feel it should not be included in the syllabus,” he told The Indian Express.
Education Minister Deepak Burman and Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment.
