Bengal mulls 'One Class, One Teacher' for primary schools, results-linked increments

West Bengal's school education department is considering a "One Class, One Teacher" policy for government primary schools from the next academic year, the state's school education minister, Dipak Burman, said on Thursday, October 29, 2026. Under the proposal, one teacher would teach all subjects to the class assigned to them for the whole year, and teachers' annual salary increments could be linked to their students' learning progress. The minister described the plan as under consideration; no order has been issued.

The "one class, one teacher" idea is simple: a single teacher stays with a group of children for the year and teaches them everything. The minister's reasoning, as reported, is that a teacher who spends a full year with one class understands each child's strengths and weaknesses better and can respond to them. In the early years of school, when children are learning to read, write and count, that kind of close attention matters.

The second part of the proposal is more contentious. Linking increments to student progress would make teachers' pay partly depend on learning outcomes. Supporters of such ideas argue that it rewards effort and focuses schools on whether children are actually learning. Critics say increments are part of teachers' service conditions, not a bonus, and that children's results depend on many things a teacher cannot control, such as attendance, poverty, hunger and support at home. Measuring "progress" fairly would also need clear, reliable tests, which the department has not yet described.

The plan also depends on numbers. A single teacher for each class needs enough teachers to go round. With a ratio of 1:26 and many schools short of staff, the promised recruitment of 13,000 primary teachers would be crucial. In small rural schools, where one or two teachers often handle several classes together, the policy may be hard to apply without more hiring.

In short, if adopted, the plan would mean one teacher per class for the year, and increments possibly linked to students' learning progress. Next, the department must decide on the policy, explain how progress will be measured, and complete teacher recruitment before the next academic year.

Short-term: Teachers' associations, parents and schools will debate the proposal, especially the link between pay and results, before the department takes a final decision.

Long-term: If implemented well, with enough teachers and fair measurement, the policy could give young children steadier attention and help close learning gaps. If implemented without enough staff or clear rules, it could add pressure on already stretched schools.

Who is affected: Children in West Bengal's government primary schools and their parents, primary teachers and their unions, school heads, and the state's school education department.

Questions and Answers