West Bengal Lok Bhavan to Host Maiden State Essay Contest for Students

The West Bengal Lok Bhavan will host its first state-level essay competition for students studying in schools, colleges, and universities across the state, a senior official announced on Sunday. Entries are invited in both English and Bengali languages.

Essay Topics and Prizes

For school students in classes 10 to 12, the English topic is 'Calcutta Massacre, 1946 – Causes and Consequences'. College and university students will write on 'Direct Action Day by All India Muslim League – A Fatal Assault on Civilisational Bharat'. The first, second, and third prizes for school students are ₹50,000, ₹35,000, and ₹25,000 respectively. For the college and university category, the prizes are ₹1 lakh, ₹75,000, and ₹50,000 respectively. These cash prizes will be awarded separately for essays submitted in English and Bengali in each category.

Rules and Deadlines

Entries will be judged based on depth of research, factual accuracy, originality of thought, analytical depth, coherence, and quality of expression. Plagiarism, copying without due acknowledgement, and the use of AI-generated content or generative AI tools are strictly prohibited. All entries must reach the authorities on or before November 15. The winners will be felicitated on January 26, 2027, during the 'At Home Reception' at Lok Bhavan.

Political Reactions

Political leaders have criticized the initiative. Kunal Ghosh, representing the Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress, and Sujan Chakraborty of the CPI(M) accused the governor of acting like a representative of the BJP instead of upholding the Constitution. Ghosh stated that the governor's role is not to propagate the BJP's political narrative. Chakraborty questioned the relevance of the gubernatorial post if the governor behaves like a representative of the BJP and tries to promote its political objectives rather than acting as a representative of the Constitution.

Context

State-level essay competitions organized by official government offices are public outreach programs aimed at encouraging academic writing among young people. Such initiatives sometimes draw political scrutiny and debate when the chosen topics touch upon sensitive historical events and political narratives.