Embattled Path to Education: West Bengal's SSC Exam Amid Tensions

The West Bengal School Service Commission conducted the School Level Selection Test amid heightened security with 91% attendance from a pool of 3.19 lakh candidates. This marked the first teacher recruitment exam since a Supreme Court order resulted in the termination of over 26,000 jobs in government-run schools.

Rigorous security measures were in place, including a three-tier system and the use of barcode scanners to verify admit cards. Participants were required to arrive two hours early to comply with the checks. Despite a nine-year delay, candidates expressed cautious optimism about the opportunity to secure teaching positions.

The exam, critical for recruiting assistant teachers for classes 9 and 10, drew over 31,000 outstation candidates. The situation stirred political tensions, with Trinamool Congress and opposition leaders making statements about the fairness of the process and the inclusion of non-local participants.