WBSSC announces 35,726 school teacher vacancies, West Bengal teachers say ‘not ready for trauma again’

The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) has announced fresh recruitment for 35,726 assistant teachers vacancies in Classes 9–10 and Classes 11–12 in state-aided and government-sponsored schools, following the Supreme Court directive to initiate the selection process by May 31.

As per the official notification uploaded late Thursday night on the WBSSC official website, the application process for the West Bengal assistant teacher recruitment 2025 will commence on June 16. Candidates have been given nearly a month’s time period to complete the application process.

The last date to submit the registration form online is July 14. As per the West Bengal teachers vacancy, a total of 23,212 assistant teachers posts will be filled for Classes 9 to 10 and 12,514 vacancies for Classes 11 to 12.

WB assistant teacher recruitment 2025

As per the age limit, candidates should be minimum 21 years and maximum 40 years. Upper age limit is, however, relaxable by 5 years for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates, 3 years for Backward Class candidates, and 8 years for the differently-abled candidates.

General and OBC category candidates will have to pay a registration fee of Rs 500 and SC, ST should pay Rs 200 while filling the application form. The exam has been tentatively scheduled for the first week of September and the admit cards will be issued a week from the date of exam.

“The entire process is being carried out strictly without prejudice in rights and contention of the state, commission and the Board in their pending review petitions in the SC and without intending to create any empathy or right to any party who may choose to participate in the process,” it said.

"The commission reserves its right to cancel, withdraw, rescind or amend the selection process or the terms and conditions thereof at any time hereafter without assigning any reason," the notice said, alluding to any future development on the legal front before the exams.

Also read Fewer teachers, more outsiders taking part in agitation outside education dept HQ: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

Teachers forum say ‘not ready’ for exam

Despite the announcement, protestors under the Deserving Teachers Rights Forum, whose appointments were cancelled, have vowed to continue their agitation. "This notice offers nothing new. Preparing for a fresh exam at such short notice is unrealistic. We are not ready to go through this trauma again," said forum spokesperson Mehboob Mandal.

Another forum leader Chinmoy Mondal said, "Our protests will continue and intensify in the coming days." A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar had on April 3 upheld the Calcutta High Court verdict of April 22, 2024, invalidating the appointment of teachers and staffers in the state-run and aided schools, terming the entire selection process "vitiated and tainted".

On April 17, the top court extended till December 31 the services of the terminated teachers found untainted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), after taking note of the state secondary board's submissions that the mass terminations have adversely impacted teaching in the schools.

The Supreme Court had earlier said the advertisement for fresh recruitment will be published on or before May 31, and the entire process, including the examination, will be completed by December 31. The court asked the state government to file a compliance affidavit on the initiation of the recruitment process on or before May 31.

(With inputs from PTI)