INDIAN STATES : WEST BENGAL

Social Infrastructure

Education

The overall literacy rate in West Bengal is 69.2 per cent, which is higher than all India average of 65.4 per cent.

The state of West Bengal has gone a long way ahead to diversify education in various fields. The State Government has been encouraging the introduction of various needs based and job-oriented courses in the emerging areas of science and technology.

The state is giving special attention to the expansion of opportunities for professional education, IT and IT-enabled education, vocational subjects, engineering and management and also to newly introduced subjects like material science, biotechnology, bio-informatics, molecular biology, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, micro-biology etc. Priority is also given for spoken and written skill in English. Emphasis is being given on the development of research activities and other arenas of higher education to keep pace with the changes occurring in modern times.

Facilities at Degree Level for Technical Education in the State of West Bengal

Government/Government Funded Engineering Colleges

• B.E. College (Deemed University), Howrah
  
• Jadavpur University, Kolkata
  
• Regional Engineering College, Durgapur
  
• Kalyani Engineering College, Kalyani
  
• Kalyani University Science Instrumentation Centre, Kalyani
  
• Jalpaiguri Govt. Engineering College

Private Engineering Colleges

• Haldia Institute of Technology (private aided), Haldia
  
• Institute of Engineering & Management, Salt Lake
  
• Asansol Engineering College, Asansol
  
• Netaji Subhas Engineering College, Garia, Kolkata
  
• Bankura Unnayani Institute of Engineering, Bankura
  
• Murshidabad College of Engineering & Technology, Berhampur
  
• College of Engineering & Management, Kolaghat
  
• B.P. Podder Institute of Management & Technology, V.I.P. Road, Kolkata
  
• MCK Institute of Engineering, Liluah, Howrah
  
• RCC College of Engineering, Kolkata
  
• Birbhum Institute of Engineering & Technology Suri, Birbhum
  
• Siliguri Institute of Technology, Siliguri

Facilities at the Post Graduate Level

• University of Kolkata
  
• Jadavpur University
  
• B.E. College (Deemed University)
  
• National Institute of Management

Health

The state has prepared a 10-year Health Sector Strategy (2004-2013) for meeting the State's priorities and addressing the major shortcomings in both public and private health provision. The mission of this policy is to improve the health status of the people of West Bengal, especially the poor and those in greatest need.

In West Bengal, there are government hospitals and health centres in rural areas, block primary health centres and primary health centres established by the government. In addition, there are a few hospitals, nursing homes promoted by private entrepreneurs as well as voluntary organizations. Presently, there are 9794 health units having 69801 beds. The break up is given as follows: -