With just a few hours left for the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) State Level Selection Test (SLST) for Classes 9 and 10 (Secondary), both candidates and WBSSC are busy making last-minute preparations.

This year, the WBSSC has taken stringent security measures for the examinations.

Siddhartha Majumdar, Chairman, WBSSC, said question papers and answer sheets will have barcodes and other security features. So, if any picture is taken to leak a paper, then it will be easily identified from where the paper leaked, and the examination will be cancelled within half an hour.

There will be a separate set of security features in the question paper and OMR sheet of each examinee, he added.

All candidates have been asked to reach the centres by 10 am as there will be security checks, including checks by metal detectors.

“For female candidates, there will be a separate enclosure for security checking by lady security staff. Also, question papers will have security features… which are confidential,” said Majumdar in a press conference.

“The admit cards also have a barcode, so we will understand if it was downloaded from our website or if it is fake… Original identity cards have to be carried by the candidates along with an ID card like Aadhaar or a voter card. If the picture is not clear in the admit card, candidates should carry a copy of a self-attested photo identity card, which has to be submitted to us,” the chairman added.

“The admit cards also have a barcode, so we will understand if it was downloaded from our website or if it is fake… Original identity card… should also be carried by the candidates,” the chairman added.

A total of 5,65,000 candidates will appear for the WBSSC SLST exam this year.

Majumdar said 3,19,919 candidates will take the September 7 exam across 636 examination centres, and an additional 2,46,000 candidates will take the WBSSC SLST for Classes 11 and 12 (Higher Secondary) on September 14 in 478 examination centres.

According to the WBSSC, apart from candidates, invigilators, and the venue in-charge will also not be allowed to take mobile or any electronic devices inside the examination halls. Examinees will be allowed to carry a transparent file containing their admit card and either an Aadhaar card or a voter card. Pens and transparent water bottles will be permitted inside the examination halls. The examination will begin at 12 noon, and no one will be allowed to enter the examination hall after 12 noon.

Spaces one to five on the OMR sheet must be filled in. Otherwise, the exam sheet will be considered invalid, and candidates will be allowed to take back the carbon copy of the OMR sheet with them. The question papers will reach the centres by 10.30 am in sealed packets, the authorities added.

According to the WBSSC, apart from candidates, invigilators and the venue in-charge will also not be allowed to take mobile or any electronic devices inside the examination halls.

Examinees will be allowed to carry a transparent file containing their admit card, and either an Aadhaar card or a voter card. Pens and transparent water bottles will be permitted inside the examination halls. The examination will begin at 12 noon, and no one will be allowed to enter the examination hall after 12 noon.

Spaces one to five on the OMR sheet must be filled in. Otherwise, the exam sheet will be considered invalid, and candidates will be allowed to take back the carbon copy of the OMR sheet with them. The question papers will reach the centres by 10.30 am in sealed packets.

“The sealed packets will be opened at 12 noon when the examination begins, and no two candidates sitting next to each other will have the same set of question papers,” said the WBSSC chairman.

Meanwhile, Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu took to social media to wish the candidates. He posted on X, “Wishing all candidates the very best for tomorrow’s Assistant Teacher (Class IX–X) Selection Test, conducted by the West Bengal Central School Service Commission where more than 3 lakh 19 thousand candidates will appear.

Entire administration is always with you to ensure the security, transparency and all possible facilities in 636 venues so that you will deliver your’s best.

Reach your center on time.

Best wishes to all.”

In July, the WBSSC had announced the exam dates. The recruitment drive has been taken up to fill 35,726 assistant teacher posts in state-aided and sponsored schools.

The WBSSC had launched the application portal on June 16. Initially set to close on July 14, the deadline for the application was later extended to 5.59 pm on July 21.

On May 30, the WBSSC issued a notice for the recruitment of 35,726 teachers in government schools, abiding by the Supreme Court directive to issue a notification by May 31. As per the notice, uploaded on the WBSSC site, there are 23,312 vacancies for assistant teacher posts for Classes 9-10 and 12,514 for Classes 11-12.

In April, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision to scrap the employment of around 26,000 teachers who were recruited through the last WBSSC SLST exam held in 2016. The appointments were cancelled owing to a flawed selection process and large-scale corruption in the recruitment process.

In April, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision to scrap the employment of around 26,000 teachers who were recruited through the last WBSSC SLST exam held in 2016. The appointments were cancelled owing to a flawed selection method and large-scale corruption in the recruitment process.