‘Less than 500 candidates with prior teaching experience apply so far’

Kolkata: Despite nearly two lakh applications being submitted for 35,726 assistant teacher posts in Bengal’s state-aided and sponsored schools, fewer than 500 candidates with prior teaching experience have applied so far, sources said.

The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) launched the application portal on June 16 for the fresh recruitment drive, which is being conducted as per a Supreme Court order that cancelled around 25,000 appointments made through the 2016 selection process. The current drive includes 23,213 posts for Classes IX-X and 12,514 for Classes XI-XII.

Despite a new rule framed to offer relief to terminated teachers, allowing up to 10 extra marks for prior experience and a Supreme Court directive granting upper age limit relaxation for untainted 2016 recruits, many terminated teachers are yet to apply, citing legal, emotional and logistical hurdles.

“Initially I didn’t apply due to complications related to OBC reservation. There’s a court hearing on Monday, I’ll decide after that,” said one terminated teacher.

She admitted the difficulty of preparing for a fresh competitive examination while juggling family responsibilities and school duties. “I am trying, but it’s extremely tough. We are working in schools, managing households and raising children. I’m mentally exhausted. Our biological age has increased. If the exam is held in September, there’s less than two months left. How can we manage preparation alongside school and family work? It’s just not practical,” she said.

Some candidates on the 2016 waiting list are also preparing to apply. Mithun Biswas, one such candidate, said: “I haven’t applied yet, but I must appear for the exam. There’s no other option. We’ll have to prove our merit once again. But we’re opposed to the allocation of 10 marks for experience, 10 for the demo, and 10 for the interview. Keeping 30 marks aside this way is not fair.” Many others, however, are adopting a wait-and-watch approach. Mrinmoy Mondal, president of the West Bengal Untainted Teachers’ Association, said: “We’ve challenged the recruitment notification in the Calcutta High Court and filed a review petition in the Supreme Court. We’re hoping for a stay order. We’ve also urged the SSC and the state government to extend the application deadline, especially for 2016 candidates, as the apex court reopens on July 14, the day applications close.”