The Sarathi Scheme, formerly known as the Sabooj Sathi Scheme, is a Government of West Bengal initiative that provides a free bicycle to eligible Class IX students studying in Government schools, Government-aided schools, and recognised Madrasahs across the state. The scheme is implemented by the West Bengal SC, ST and OBC Development & Finance Corporation under the supervision of the Backwards Classes Welfare Department. Under the current Phase-XII, the scheme covers students enrolled in the Academic Year 2026, with the entire beneficiary verification and approval process being carried out through the respective schools.
West Bengal Sarathi Scheme Highlights | |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Sarathi Scheme (formerly Sabooj Sathi Scheme) |
| Announced By | Government of West Bengal (2015-16 State Budget) |
| Current Phase | Phase-XII (Academic Year 2026) |
| Nodal Department | Backward Classes Welfare Department |
| Implementing Agency | West Bengal SC, ST and OBC Development & Finance Corporation |
| Eligible Beneficiaries | Class IX students studying in Government schools, Government-aided schools, and recognised Madrasahs |
| Benefit Provided | One bicycle free of cost to every eligible student |
| Total Beneficiaries | More than 1.24 crore students (since 2015) |
| Application Process | Completed through the student’s school (No direct application by students) |
| Official Portal | sarathi.webstep.in |
Introduction of West Bengal Sarathi Scheme: A Brief Insight
Distance from school often becomes a major obstacle for students living in rural and remote areas of West Bengal. To address this challenge, the Government of West Bengal introduced the Sarathi Scheme. This bicycle distribution programme provides eligible Class IX students with a bicycle free of cost, helping them travel to school more easily and continue their education without transportation-related barriers. The scheme was originally launched during the 2015-16 State Budget as the Sabooj Sathi Scheme and is now being implemented as the Sarathi Scheme, with the current cycle running as Phase-XII for the Academic Year 2026.
The primary objective of the scheme is to improve school attendance, reduce dropout rates, and encourage students to continue their education. Besides making the daily journey to school easier, the scheme also promotes independent mobility among girl students while encouraging the use of an environment-friendly mode of transport.
The Backwards Classes Welfare Department functions as the nodal department for the scheme, while the West Bengal SC, ST and OBC Development & Finance Corporation serves as the implementing agency. Schools carry out beneficiary verification through the official Sarathi Portal, where student records are integrated from the Banglar Shiksha Portal prior to the final beneficiary list being approved.
Under the Sarathi Scheme, every eligible Class IX student studying in a Government school, Government-aided school, or recognised Madrasah receives one bicycle completely free of cost. The expenditure is shared among the School Education Department, Backwards Classes Welfare Department, Tribal Development Department, and Minority Affairs & Madrasah Education Department according to the beneficiary’s category. Since its launch in 2015, the scheme has benefited more than 1.24 crore students across West Bengal.
Students are not required to submit any separate online application. Instead, the respective school’s Head of Institution verifies the student’s profile through the Sarathi Portal, after which the beneficiary list is approved by the competent education authorities and bicycles are distributed through the school. Students or parents requiring assistance may also use the official Sarathi Grievance Portal to report issues related to profile verification or bicycle distribution.
Students and parents interested in learning about other education and student welfare initiatives in West Bengal can also explore the Kanyashree Prakalpa and the Student Credit Card Scheme, which provide financial and educational support to eligible students.
For information about more welfare programmes launched by the Government of West Bengal for students, women, farmers, senior citizens, and other eligible beneficiaries, readers can also explore our complete collection of West Bengal Government Schemes.
Benefits Provided to Eligible Beneficiaries
Under the Sarathi Scheme, the Government of West Bengal provides free bicycles to eligible Class IX students studying in Government, Government-aided schools, and recognised Madrasahs. The scheme aims to make school transportation easier while encouraging students to continue their education.
- Every eligible Class IX student receives one bicycle completely free of cost.
- The bicycle is provided without requiring any payment from the student or the family.
- The expenditure is borne by the concerned department based on the student’s category, including the School Education Department, Backwards Classes Welfare Department, Tribal Development Department, and Minority Affairs & Madrasah Education Department.
- More than 1.24 crore students across West Bengal have benefited from the scheme since its launch in 2015.
- The scheme promotes regular school attendance, reduces dropout rates, supports higher education, encourages independent mobility, and promotes environment-friendly transportation.
Eligibility Conditions Required to be Fulfilled
Students must satisfy the following eligibility conditions to complete profile verification under the Sarathi Scheme. The school verifies these conditions through the official Sarathi Portal before processing the student’s record for the current academic year.
- The student must be studying in Class IX during the Academic Year 2026.
- The student must be enrolled in a Government school, Government-aided school, or recognised Madrasah in West Bengal.
- If the student has already received a bicycle under an earlier phase, the details must be recorded during profile verification on the Sarathi Portal.
- Students whose records are already available from an earlier phase are not required to submit a fresh application, as the school re-verifies the existing profile through the Sarathi Portal.
Documents Required to be Attached
As the verification process under the Sarathi Scheme is carried out through the student’s school, Class IX students are not required to visit any government office. Students should submit the following documents to their respective school so that the Head of Institution can verify or update their details on the official portal, wherever required.
- Aadhaar Card of the student.
- Student Identity Card or Banglar Shiksha ID.
- Family Ration Card.
- Address proof, if required by the school.
- An active mobile number of the student or parent/guardian.
- A recent passport-size colour photograph of the student.
- Any other document required by the school for profile verification.
The Head of Institution verifies or updates the student’s profile on the official Sarathi Portal. Most student records for the current academic year are already available through the Banglar Shiksha Portal, so schools generally need to confirm or correct the imported information before completing the verification process.
How Beneficiaries Can Apply to Avail the Benefit of this Scheme
Students are not required to submit a separate online application to receive a bicycle under the Sarathi Scheme. Instead, the entire verification and approval process is carried out through the student’s school using the official Sarathi Portal. Most student records are automatically imported from the Banglar Shiksha Portal, reducing the need for fresh data entry.
Step 1: The student submits the required documents to the respective school for profile verification.
Step 2: The Head of Institution logs into the official Sarathi Portal and reviews the student records imported from the Banglar Shiksha Portal.
Step 3: The school verifies each student’s personal details, updates any incorrect information, records whether the student has previously received a bicycle, and adds new student records wherever required.
Step 4: After verifying all records, the Head of Institution submits the details and finalises the school’s beneficiary list on the portal.
Step 5: The verified list is forwarded for approval by the concerned education authorities, including the Sub-Inspector, Assistant Sub-Inspector, or District Inspector of Schools.
Step 6: Once approved, the school receives the official Muster Roll containing the names of eligible students selected for bicycle distribution.
Step 7: The Block Development Officer (BDO) coordinates the delivery of bicycles to the designated distribution point, from where they are supplied to the respective schools.
Step 8: The school distributes the bicycles to eligible students and records the unique frame number of each bicycle against the beneficiary’s name to complete the distribution process.
Students and parents are not required to visit any government office during this process. They should remain in touch with their respective school for updates regarding profile verification, approval status, and the bicycle distribution schedule.
Important Links Available
The following official links help students, parents, and schools access the Sarathi Scheme portal, track bicycle distribution, understand the scheme guidelines, submit grievances, and verify student records.
- Official Sarathi Portal
- About Sarathi Scheme
- Track Bicycle Distribution Status
- Submit an Online Grievance
- Banglar Shiksha Portal
- West Bengal Sarathi Scheme Guidelines
Contact Details in Case of Help Needed
Students, parents, and educational institutions requiring assistance with profile verification, bicycle distribution, or any other Sarathi Scheme-related issue may contact the official support team using the details below.
- Support: Sarathi Scheme Technical Support
- Phone: +91 91474 22628
- Email: support.sarathi.wb@gmail.com
- Support Hours: Monday to Friday, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is the Sarathi Scheme?
Ans. The Sarathi Scheme is a Government of West Bengal initiative that provides free bicycles to eligible Class IX students studying in Government schools, Government-aided schools, and recognised Madrasahs across the state.
Q. Is Sarathi a new scheme or the same as Sabooj Sathi?
Ans. Sarathi is the renamed version of the Sabooj Sathi Scheme. The bicycle distribution programme continues under the new name, with the current implementation being carried out as Phase-XII.
Q. Which students are eligible under the current phase of the Sarathi Scheme?
Ans. Students studying in Class IX during the Academic Year 2026 in Government schools, Government-aided schools, or recognised Madrasahs in West Bengal are eligible, subject to profile verification by their respective schools.
Q. Does a student need to apply online for the Sarathi Scheme?
Ans. No. Students are not required to submit an online application. The respective school completes the verification and beneficiary submission process through the official Sarathi Portal.
Q. What happens if a student has already received a bicycle under the Sabooj Sathi Scheme?
Ans. The student’s existing record is retrieved during profile verification, and the school verifies or updates the details instead of creating a fresh record.
Q. Which documents are generally required for profile verification?
Ans. Schools may ask students to submit documents such as the Aadhaar Card, Student ID or Banglar Shiksha ID, Family Ration Card, passport-size photograph, mobile number, and any other document required for profile verification.
Q. Which department implements the Sarathi Scheme?
Ans. The Backwards Classes Welfare Department is the nodal department, while the West Bengal SC, ST and OBC Development & Finance Corporation functions as the implementing agency.
Q. How is the cost of bicycle distribution funded?
Ans. The expenditure is shared among different Government departments according to the beneficiary’s category, including the School Education Department, Backwards Classes Welfare Department, Tribal Development Department, and Minority Affairs & Madrasah Education Department.
Q. How many students have benefited from the scheme so far?
Ans. Since its launch in 2015, the scheme has benefited more than 1.24 crore students across West Bengal.
Q. Where can students check the bicycle distribution status?
Ans. Students can check their bicycle distribution status through the official Sarathi Bicycle Distribution Tracking Portal.
Q. Who approves the final beneficiary list?
Ans. After the school finalises the beneficiary details, the list is verified and approved by the concerned education authorities before bicycle distribution begins.
Q. Is there any fee for receiving a bicycle under the Sarathi Scheme?
Ans. No. Eligible students receive the bicycle completely free of cost under the Sarathi Scheme.
Tabassum is a government schemes researcher and writer with 5 years of experience tracking Central and State welfare scheme programmes across India. She has covered 500+ schemes spanning agriculture, women welfare, education, and housing, helping lakhs of beneficiaries understand their entitlements in simple language.