For the first time in nearly a decade, the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) will hold teacher recruitment examinations, beginning Sunday with tests for classes nine and 10.
The move comes after years of legal battles, allegations of corruption, and recruitment irregularities that tarnished the credibility of the SSC and left thousands of aspiring teachers in limbo.
On Saturday, SSC chairman Siddhartha Majumdar outlined a series of stringent measures aimed at ensuring transparency and preventing leaks, a problem that has plagued examinations across India in recent years.
“We have introduced multiple layers of security this time,” Majumdar told reporters. “Each question paper will carry unique security features. Admit cards will be scanned at the centres. If anyone attempts something illegal, they will be caught within 30 minutes.”
According to SSC, more than 319,000 candidates are expected to appear for Sunday’s test across 636 examination centres. Another round, for classes 11 and 12, will be held on September 14.
Strict rules have been imposed on candidates. They must report to the centres by 11:45am, with no entry allowed once the clock strikes noon. Mobile phones, smartwatches, and calculators are banned. Even water bottles and pens must be transparent, though the commission has arranged pens for examinees. Metal detectors will be used to frisk candidates at the gates.
“All centres are sensitive. No one will be allowed to leave until the exam is over,” Majumdar said.
The stakes are high. The last recruitment cycle in 2016 ended in controversy, with widespread allegations of jobs being sold and candidates being unfairly excluded. Several senior political leaders and education officials were arrested in connection with the scam, which became one of the state’s biggest political flashpoints.
Despite that, the exams continue to draw massive interest. Majumdar revealed that nearly all of those who secured jobs in 2016 have reapplied this year. Compared with the previous round, the number of candidates has increased by at least 250,000, reflecting both the demand for teaching jobs and the backlog of aspirants waiting for the process to restart.
For many candidates, Sunday’s exam is more than just a test — it is a chance at long-awaited stability in a state where government teaching positions remain highly sought after for their job security and benefits.
The commission, under pressure to redeem its image, is projecting this exam cycle as a fresh start. Whether these measures will restore public faith in the SSC remains to be seen.
