‘Sharp rise in Pure Science enrolment across Bengal schools over past decade at HS level’

Kolkata: Bengal has seen a significant rise in the number of students opting for pure science subjects at the Higher Secondary level, with Class XI registration data for 2024-25 showing a growth of 10-25 per cent compared to a decade ago.

According to the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE), 93,956 students are currently studying Physics — up 23.67 per cent from 75,974 in 2016. Chemistry enrolment has risen by 15.42 per cent, from 86,495 to 99,830, while Mathematics has increased by 10.10 per cent, from 77,844 to 85,705. Meanwhile, Biological Science has registered the sharpest jump — a 26.24 per cent increase from 83,778 to 1,05,758 students.

Notably, 73,347 students have chosen to study all four core science subjects — Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology (PCMB). These students, currently in Class XII, will be the first to appear for the Higher Secondary examinations under the newly introduced semester system in 2026.

Over the past decade, the number of schools offering science subjects has risen significantly. Physics is now available in 3796 schools (up from 3,012), Chemistry in 3,835 (from 3,096), Mathematics in 3,754 (from 3,043) and Biological Sciences in 3,873 (from 3,134). Schools offering all four core science subjects now number 3,579. Officials attribute the rise to sustained efforts by the state government and WBCHSE to promote science education. The government’s initiatives to upgrade school laboratories and improve science infrastructure have played a pivotal role. Schemes like the Jagadish Bose National Science Talent Search have provided scholarships, laptops and hands-on training to meritorious students. The Bigyani Kanya Award has also encouraged more girls to take up science.

WBCHSE has recently rolled out the ‘Bootstrap Programme’ targeting Class X students, offering online and offline workshops in Physics, Chemistry and Biology to build early interest in the sciences.

In addition, to keep pace with emerging fields, the Council has introduced contemporary subjects such as Artificial Intelligence & Data Science and Cyber Security. The syllabus of existing courses like Computer Science and Modern Computer Applications have also been updated.

“There was a time when students were losing interest in science. We have made a sustained effort to reverse that trend through continuous efforts, innovative science-oriented courses and a modernised syllabus,” said WBCHSE president Chiranjib Bhattacharya. “We are hopeful that this momentum will only grow stronger in the years to come.”