“We have submitted our suggestions to the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. But they said that the suggestions could not be implemented as the next academic session will begin from March 1. The Board officials said the modification in the syllabus, as per our suggestions, will require more time,” said Dipak Das, general secretary of West Bengal Government School Teachers’ association.

The Board had earlier decided to implement the bifurcated syallabus of Classes IX and X from the next academic session so that those students appearing from 2012 examination will be evaluated only on their Class X syllabus.

Till now, the students appearing for the Madhyamik (Class X) examination have to study both their Class IX and Class X syllabi.

“There is a gap between the syllabi of Class IX and X, and Class XI and XII. This needs to be addressed,” Das said.

Other teachers associations say the Board has split the syllabus into two halves without discussing it in detail among the teachers’ organisations.

“We made suggestions but the Board is in a hurry for finalising the syllabus so as to give it to the publishers. No doubt there is a need for further discussions on this issue,” said Ashok Maity, general secretary of West Bengal Headmaster’s Association.

The Board, however, rejects the criticisms saying that the “fears” as expressed by the teachers’ unions are unfounded.

“We had already discussed with the teachers on how to split the syllabus,” said