Kolkata, March 1 – After a long wait, the written examination for recruiting Group-C employees of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) was held across the state on Sunday, with tight security arrangements in place.
Following the publication of the final voter list after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and the arrival of central paramilitary forces in the state, the WBSSC took extra precautions regarding the security and administrative management of the examination centers.
Although there was a possibility of deploying paramilitary forces in schools and colleges for the upcoming Assembly elections, special instructions were given to the administration to ensure that there was no presence of central forces in the examination centers on the day of the written exam.
According to WBSSC sources, the Group-C exam was conducted at 1,693 centers across the state on Sunday.
Approximately 8,04,000 candidates had applied for this exam for 2,989 vacancies.
On the other hand, the Group-D recruitment exam will be held on March 8. Approximately 8,09,000 applications were received for the Group-D exam. The total number of examination centers for both Group-C and Group-D was about 3,400.
For safety reasons, several restrictions were issued for the candidates. Wearing boots or closed shoes was prohibited. Only students with slippers or Hawaiian sandals were allowed.
Carrying any electronic devices, including mobile phones, calculators, jewelry, or other items, was prohibited. Only the admit card, a clear water bottle, and a pen were allowed.
Today, Group-C candidates entered the examination center from 10 a.m. as per the rules. Candidates were asked to reach the center by 10 a.m., and no one was allowed to enter after 11:45 a.m. The total marks for the Group-C examination are 60, and the examination concluded at 1:50 p.m.
Candidates from outside states also appeared for the Group-C exam.
The SSC had sent a letter to the state's DGP and Kolkata Police Commissioner regarding today's exam. On Saturday, School Service Commission Chairman Siddhartha Majumdar said, "All preparations for the exam have been completed, and strict security measures have been put in place."