First generation students have done remarkably well in the examinations of late although they are bereft largely of the economic means to purchase such basic educational tools as books, exercise notebooks, and even school bags, and school dresses. The state LF government has been directly involved in providing all-inclusive scholarships of ample measure to 1700 meritorious students all over the state.

Coming down heavily on the `sale of education' via `private tuition' that teachers indulge themselves in as a lucrative avenue, Buddhadeb said that this was something that `had been unthinkable when we were students.' The reality of a neo-liberal world is that the rich routinely set apart large sums of money for providing `special' private tuition for their kids. The demand for an easy way out is there and so is the supply of `private coaching.'

The parents who are financially advantaged would not really care that the amount they spend in getting their wards `privately prepared' is much more than what they have to pay as school fees, especially in government-run institutions. What will the students from the poor families do? It devolves on the moral integrity and commitment to education of the teachers, especially those at work in government-run schools, colleges, and universities, to ensure that no student stands deprived of education in full measure just because of his or her financial handicap.

Buddhadeb assured that many centres of excellence in education would be set up in Bengal. The general standard of education, too, will be brought up further in the days to come. Buddhadeb explained the arguments behind providing autonomy to the two leading and internationally known, Kolkata colleges, Presidency and St Xavier's. Stressing that the Left Front government has always attached equal importance to the level and spread of education, the Bengal chief minister pointed out that there was need to strengthen the base by attaining 100 per cent literacy.

Buddhadeb recalled that the way towards development of the Third World countries lay through land reforms and mass education. A nation is made strong not by how many nuclear warheads it possesses but by its standard of educational achievements. Buddhadeb regretted that the union government would not be moved to spending at least 6 per cent of the GDP in education, and that this was proving to be a big handicap for the states.