When was the last time any accomplished professional from another state moved to West Bengal? ::: Skill Drought in the state, says new Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta

 "People here are occasionally slightly wary of acknowledging that we are suffering from a severe shortage of skills. When was the last time you heard of an accomplished professional from another state who moved to Bengal? 

It would be quite a rarity to see that," Swapan Dasgupta said while addressing an education summit organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce.   

Fundamental rebuilding: Swapan Dasgupta’s skill roadmap for 'Bengal revival' to reverse its decline  

The first step towards recovery is acknowledging the shortcomings, he said. 

“To move ahead, we have to recognise a few things, particularly in the realm of education. 

Public education in Bengal is devastated. It is not a question of improvement; it is a question of fundamental rebuilding.”  

A former journalist Dasgupta, the MLA from Rashbehari who holds a doctorate in history from the University of London, cited the example of Calcutta University.

“Calcutta University was, at one time, certainly a leading centre of education in Asia. But from there, to move to a position where you are not really on the map, where you lowered yourself to becoming a provincial university,” he said.

Dasgupta urged the private sector to step up and fill the gaps.

“We have set our sights too low. 

Our inheritance, actually, was quite lofty. 

From there, we have come down many notches. Recovering from there is very important. The government can play a role. 

"But the role is limited. We can create an environment. We can be an enabler. But the actual work will have to be done by the private sector,” Dasgupta said.

Teacher investment

He said rapid technological advances had rendered several industries obsolete, and the “threat of obsolescence” is driving renewed investment in education.

“The threat of obsolescence is overwhelming. That itself is spurring people to invest heavily in education. Whether that comes through private universities, upgrading state universities or bringing in foreign universities, I think it is not one or the other. 

I think all three have to play a part. We need to have that approach... There must be a profound change in some of our curricula. I don’t mean history textbooks,” he said.

in fact, many in the audience chuckled because when a BJP leader speaks of changing curricula, it is usually associated with rewriting history.

Dasgupta said: “The approach must be updated. That involves significant investment in teachers. Their skill sets. Do we have that at the moment? No. It is important to recognise we are deficient in that regard.”

Brain drain

West Bengal’s brain drain can be arrested, Dasgupta said, not by diktat, but by creating opportunities.

“How much can we do to prevent this relentless exodus of young people from the state? One of the things about Calcutta is that it’s rare to find young people. They are all elsewhere. 

It is more than an observation. It is a statement of pain. It is sad. A great metropolis becomes an elevated old-age home. It tells you that something was wrong. We must reverse that. 

We can’t reverse it by a diktat. 

We must reverse this by creating opportunities. We are going to create that by having certain centres of excellence here, whereby people are not only encouraged to stay and study and work here, but those from elsewhere are encouraged to come here,” he said.

ends