WBCHSE introduces semester system in Class 11, 12, Know more

The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) issued a significant announcement on Thursday for students, indicating its decision to introduce the Semester System at the Higher Secondary Level starting from the academic session 2024-25 for Class XI, followed by its implementation for Class XII from the academic session 2025-26.

Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, the President of the Council, issued an official notification on behalf of WBCHSE, stating that the state's School Education Department has granted permission to introduce the semester system at the higher secondary level. This system will commence from the academic session 2024-25 for Class 11 and subsequently from the academic session 2025-26 for Class 12.

This initiative aligns with the draft of the new state education policy, unveiled last August, which advocated for the adoption of a semester-based education system at the higher secondary level, along with the division of examinations into two phases.
The council's proposal seeks to revamp the current two-year examination system into a four-semester structure, with board exams scheduled upon completion of the third and fourth semesters. Additionally, it recommends conducting the third-semester examination in a multiple-choice question (MCQ) format.

The President of WBCHSE had submitted a proposal for implementing the semester system in Class 11. In line with the state's education policy, the Education Department felt obligated to assess the request. In order to alleviate the burden on students, the West Bengal government announced on September 5, 2023, the necessity of gradually implementing the semester system.