West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari Saturday advocated for restrictions on the use of mobile phones in schools.Addressing a Teachers’ Day program in Newtown, CM Adhikari said, “My votes may perhaps decrease. But I will still say that the use of phones in schools needs to be regulated. In Gujarat, phones are not used in schools from Class I to Class XII.”On Saturday, the chief minister also inaugurated the ‘Swami Vivekananda Merit Scheme’ in higher education and launched a new transfer management policy for college teachers.During the event, Adhikari announced that two ‘CM Shri’ schools, modeled after PM Shri schools, will be opened in each district. “In these schools, admission will be given from Class VI based on merit. Like the Central Model School, the schools will have all modern facilities, including smart boards. Large sports-related institutions will be set up in the western and northern regions.”The chief minister assured that the School Service Commission (SSC) teacher recruitment process will be completed within the time given by the Supreme Court. He added that greater emphasis will be given to the written test in teacher recruitment, and the marks for the oral examination should be reduced.From the stage of the Teachers’ Day event, Adhikari called for an overall reform of Bengal’s education system and the restoration of its ‘long-lost’ educational heritage.Exhorting the academia to promote patriotism, the Bengal chief minister said, “One thing should not be compromised. Those who harm the country from within, who raise questions about patriotism, who have a problem with the full Vande Mataram song, who do not protest when there is an attack in Pahalgam but raise questions when there is an attack in Pakistan – against them, the education community and nationalist citizens must remain united.”Story continues below this adAlso Read | West Bengal train services hit for 2nd day after track sinks, repair work on war footingReferring to the new National Education Policy, Adhikari placed special emphasis on infrastructural development in the education sector. He claimed that nearly 19,000 schools in the state lack even basic infrastructure after nearly eight decades of Independence.Describing the recent snakebite incident in Kolkata’s famed Mitra Institution school as symptomatic of the neglect that the education sector faced during the previous regime, the chief minister said, “At Mitra Institution, a child was taken to SSKM hospital after a snakebite… They (the school) have not received the composite grant for three years. It is from this that carbolic acid is bought. There was certainly no shortage of money. There was no shortage of money for sports, fairs, or for giving money during Durga Puja.”Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:BengalSuvendu Adhikari