Phased rollout: Class V to continue in high schools across state till 2029

Kolkata: Class V will continue to be offered in junior high, secondary and higher secondary schools for the time being, with the state School Education Department deciding that a final order withdrawing the grade from high schools will be issued only after Class V is introduced in all primary schools across West Bengal, sources said.

Under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, Class V forms part of the primary stage. In West Bengal, however, primary education has traditionally ended at Class IV, with Class V being offered in high schools.

To align the state’s school structure with the RTE Act, the government began introducing Class V in primary schools in a phased manner from 2019. By early 2020, 17,996 primary schools had been covered. A further 2,335 schools were covered in 2025. From the academic year 2026, Class V will be introduced in another 2,338 primary schools.

Despite the phased rollout, Class V continues to operate in parallel in high schools, leading to difficulties at the ground level. Several primary schools offering the grade are reportedly struggling to retain students, as many parents prefer enrolling children directly in high schools after Class IV, where students can continue up to Class X or XII, depending on the school category.

Officials, however, clarified that the decision to withdraw Class V from high schools cannot be taken immediately to address these operational issues. Instead, the department plans to issue a blanket order discontinuing the grade in high schools only after the phased introduction of Class V in all primary schools is completed, currently targeted for 2029.

Bengal has around 50,000 primary schools. The state government informed the Calcutta High Court in July 2024 that the introduction of Class V in primary schools would be completed in five phases by 2029. The roadmap envisages covering about 2,966 schools in the third phase, followed by around 12,000 schools in the fourth phase and 13,093 schools in the final phase. Officials said these figures remain subject to revision, noting that the number of schools taken up for 2026 has already exceeded earlier estimates.