Why is the Bengal teacher recruitment exam being held after 9 years?

Kolkata, Sep 7 (NationPress) After a span of nine years and numerous legal disputes along with persistent protests from candidates, the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) is poised to conduct the initial phase of the State Level Selection Test (SLST) on Sunday.

The exams are scheduled for Sunday (September 7) and September 14, aimed at filling teaching positions in state-run schools.

As per WBSSC, the SLST aims to recruit for a total of 35,726 teaching roles for Classes 9-10 and 11-12. Among these, 23,212 vacancies are for Classes 9 and 10, while 12,514 are designated for Classes 11 and 12.

The cumulative number of applicants for the two phases has exceeded 5.65 lakh.

On Sunday, over 3.19 lakh candidates will take the test at more than 636 exam centres, with the remaining candidates scheduled for the exam on September 14.

All candidates are required to be at their respective centres by 10 a.m.. Entry will close at 11.45 a.m., with the exam commencing at 12 p.m. Question papers are expected to arrive at the centres between 10 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. and will be distributed at 11.45 a.m.

This examination is taking place against the backdrop of a significant teacher recruitment scandal that has shaken West Bengal's political landscape. Numerous individuals, including former state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and Trinamool Congress MLA Jiban Krishna Saha, along with many officials from the state education department, have been apprehended by central investigative agencies for engaging in extensive corruption. This involved assisting candidates in securing teaching positions for monetary compensation and manipulating OMR sheets. These candidates had participated in the 2016 SLST exam, the last time the WBSSC conducted a recruitment exam for teaching positions in Classes 9-10 and 11-12.

The Supreme Court on April 3 annulled the recruitment of approximately 26,000 teachers and non-teaching staff, whose appointments were made following the 2016 selection procedure.

The new examinations are being conducted following a Supreme Court directive, which also prohibits the previous panel's (2016) tainted and ineligible candidates from participating in the new exam.

On August 30, in compliance with the Supreme Court's order, the WBSSC released a list of 1,806 tainted candidates who had obtained teaching jobs through the recruitment scandal.

In addition to thorough security checks using metal detectors, designated areas have been allocated for female candidates, ensuring they are checked by female staff members.

Candidates are prohibited from bringing phones, smartwatches, calculators, or non-transparent items. Only transparent pens, folders, and water bottles are permitted, although the SSC will provide pens at the centres. Furthermore, venue supervisors and SSC officials will also be barred from carrying mobile phones after a certain time and will not be allowed inside the exam hall with them.

Meanwhile, normal services will be operational on both the Kolkata Metro Blue Line (Dakshineswar-Kavi Subhash) and Green Line (Howrah Maidan-Salt Lake Sector V) to assist candidates attending the SLST exam.