West Bengal SARATHI Scheme

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

The SARATHI Scheme is the West Bengal Government's bicycle distribution programme for eligible boys and girls studying in Government-run and Government-aided Schools and Madrasahs. The scheme provides a free bicycle to help students travel to school more easily. It aims to improve access to secondary education by reducing travel-related difficulties. The initiative also encourages regular school attendance, helps reduce dropout rates, motivates students to pursue higher studies, and promotes the use of an environmentally friendly and healthy mode of transportation. The Backward Classes Welfare Department is the nodal department for the scheme, while the West Bengal SC, ST and OBC Development & Finance Corporation serves as the implementing agency.

The West Bengal Government launched the SARATHI Scheme on 29 September 2026 and distributed bicycles to students as part of the launch. During the launch, the government also announced that the bicycle benefit will be extended to eligible Class VIII students from the academic year 2027-28. This expansion will allow eligible students to receive the free bicycle benefit one year earlier than under the current Class IX provision.

The scheme was earlier known as the Sabooj Sathi Scheme. The West Bengal Government has now renamed it as the SARATHI Scheme. While the name has changed, the objective of supporting students through bicycle distribution remains the same. Since its launch in 2015, the programme has benefited more than 1.24 crore students across West Bengal, making it one of the State's largest educational support initiatives. Initially, the scheme provided free bicycles to eligible students studying in Classes IX to XII. However, from Phase II onwards, the benefit was restricted to Class IX students only.

The West Bengal SARATHI Scheme is implemented through the SARATHI Portal, which manages the beneficiary verification and bicycle distribution process. . Student records are imported from the Banglar Shiksha Portal and verified by the respective schools. The Head of Institution (HoI) verifies and finalises student records, which are then validated by the relevant education authorities. After the verification process is completed, eligible students receive their bicycles through their respective schools. Students are generally not required to submit a separate application for the West Bengal Free Cycle Scheme.

The SARATHI Scheme plays an important role in improving educational access for students across West Bengal. By providing free bicycles, the scheme makes daily travel to school easier and more convenient. It also helps increase school retention, encourages students to continue their education, improves student mobility, and supports the use of an environment-friendly mode of transportation. Besides the SARATHI Scheme, the West Bengal Government also runs several student welfare initiatives such as the Taruner Swapna Scheme, Aikyashree Scheme, and Sikshashree Scheme to support students at different stages of their education.

Latest Update

The West Bengal Government launched the SARATHI bicycle distribution programme on 29 September 2026. On the launch occasion, the Chief Minister distributed bicycles to school students under the programme, marking the start of the latest bicycle distribution drive.

Around 12.59 lakh students are expected to receive bicycles during the 2026-27 academic year under the programme. The government has also announced that the scheme's bicycle benefit will be extended to Class VIII students from the next academic year. This means eligible students will be able to receive the free bicycle benefit from Class VIII instead of waiting until Class IX.

Scheme Benefits

• Provides a free bicycle to eligible Class IX students.
• From the next academic year (2027-28), the free bicycle benefit will also be provided to eligible Class VIII students.
• A free bicycle will be provided to students studying in Government-run and Government-aided Schools and Madrasahs in West Bengal.
• Helps students travel to school more conveniently and improves access to secondary education.
• Encourages regular school attendance and helps increase student retention.
• Motivates students to continue their higher studies.

Eligibility Requirements

• The student must be studying in Class IX during the current Academic Year.
• The student must be enrolled in a Government-run or Government-aided School or Madrasah in West Bengal.
• The student's profile should be available on the Banglar Shiksha Portal or be entered through the SARATHI Portal if it is not already available.
• The student's profile must be verified and finalised by the Head of Institution (HoI) through the SARATHI Portal.
• The verified student record must be validated by the concerned education authorities before bicycle distribution.
• The student should not have already received a bicycle under the scheme, as the previous bicycle receipt status is a mandatory field during profile verification.

Note: The West Bengal Government has announced that the bicycle benefit under the SARATHI Scheme will also be extended to eligible Class VIII students from the next academic year. Until then, the existing eligibility conditions for the current distribution cycle will continue to apply.

Required Documents

Under the SARATHI Scheme, eligible students are generally not required to submit a separate application. Student details are imported from the Banglar Shiksha Portal and verified by the Head of Institution (HoI) through the SARATHI Portal. However, schools may ask students to provide the following documents or information for profile verification or when creating a new entry:

• Proof of admission in Class IX for the current Academic Year.
• School Identity Card or Student Registration/Admission Number.
• Residential address details for verification.
• Active mobile number of the student or parent/guardian.
• Aadhaar Card or another identity document, if required by the school for verification.
• Details regarding whether the student has already received a bicycle under the scheme.

Note: As per the latest SARATHI Phase-XII Standard Operating Procedure, schools can update only the student's address and mobile number during profile verification. If any other information needs to be corrected, the existing profile must be rejected and entered again through the SARATHI Portal.

Steps to Apply

• Students are not required to submit a separate application under the SARATHI Scheme.
• Eligible student details are uploaded or imported by the respective school through the SARATHI Portal.
• If a student's profile is not available in the portal, the school creates a new entry after verifying the required details.
• The Head of Institution (HoI) verifies and finalises the student records through the SARATHI Portal.
• The finalised records are validated by the concerned education authorities.
• After successful verification and validation, eligible students receive the bicycle through their respective school.
• Students whose details require correction should contact their school authorities for necessary updates in the SARATHI Portal.

How to Check SARATHI Scheme Beneficiary Status?

• Visit the official SARATHI Portal.
• On the homepage, click on the "Bicycle Distribution" option.
  
• Select your District, Block, School, and Phase from the available lists.
  
• Click on the "Search" button.
• The beneficiary list for the selected phase will be displayed on the screen.
  
• You can check whether your name is included in the list.

Relevant Links

• West Bengal SARATHI Scheme Portal.
• WB SARATHI Free Cycle Beneficiary Status
• WB SARATHI Scheme Online Complaint
• WB Sarathi Scheme Students Login
• West Bengal SARATHI Scheme Notice.

Contact Information

• West Bengal SARATHI Scheme Helpline Number: 9147422628
• West Bengal SARATHI Scheme Email Helpdesk: [email protected]