Over 3 lakh aspirants take West Bengal SSC teacher recruitment exam 2025

At least 3.19 lakh candidates took the School Level Selection Test (SLST) of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) on Sunday, the state's first such teacher recruitment exam since the Supreme Court scrapped over 26,000 teaching and non-teaching jobs in April.

The apex court had termed the 2016 recruitment process "tainted and vitiated", prompting a fresh round of examinations.

The test, for assistant teacher posts in classes 9 and 10, was conducted at 636 centres across the state. It began at noon and ended at 1.30 pm, with an additional 20 minutes provided to specially abled candidates.

TIGHT SECURITY AND CHECKS

A three-tier security system was put in place to prevent malpractice.

The aspirants were required to report two hours earlier to the examination for comprehensive scrutiny, i.e., naka inspections outside, admit card bar code scanning, and disallowing bringing anything except pens provided at centres.

Mobile phones and other electronic devices were disallowed, even for officials and supervisors conducting the examination.

The WBSSC also introduced single-use security codes in each question paper. Even some of the teachers who had been removed from their jobs after the Supreme Court verdict came out to give the exam. One of the candidates, 55 years old, cried before entering the hall, saying, "Do you think that preparation like a young student is possible after serving as a teacher for seven years? I have no preparation, because mentally I am not in a position to take this pain."

POLITICAL SPAT OVER NON-STATE CANDIDATES

The exam also drew Bihar and Uttar Pradesh candidates, which created political outcry. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh criticized the BJP, saying candidates from "double-engine governments" came to Bengal because hiring was stopped in their states.

"No one ever wrote Bengal's exams are only for Bengalis. No one mocked or embarrassed them. No one screened them," he posted on X.

BJP MLC Sajal Ghosh countered that West Bengal candidates write exams in other states too. CPI(M) MLA Shatarup Ghosh alleged that the state government would now be levying "cut money" on outstation candidates.

SECOND PHASE OF EXAMS ON SEPTEMBER 14

WBSSC chairperson Siddhartha Majumdar maintained that another 2.46 lakh candidates would appear in the recruitment exam for assistant teachers of class 11 and 12 on September 14 at 478 centres.

The commission also denied 1,806 teachers who have been tagged 'tainted' from being part of the new process.

State Education Minister Bratya Basu assured the candidates of assistance, saying, "The entire administration is always with you to ensure security, transparency and all the facilities at 636 centers so that you give your best."

For convenience in travel, Kolkata Metro ran advance services on the Blue and Green lines.