The venue of the interview for appointment of teachers at the upper primary level (classes VI to VIII) of government-aided schools has been shifted because of the protest in Salt Lake by candidates aspiring to teach at the primary level (classes I to V).
The protesters, who had written the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) in 2015 and been interviwed at least, are demanding that they be recruited without having to appear in yet another interview. The primary education board has rejected the demand.
The West Bengal School Service Commission had decided to hold a personality test, or interview, for appointment as teachers at the upper primary level at its office in Karunamoyee, which is the epicentre of the protest that started on Monday. The venue has been shifted to the commission’s headquarters, which is a bus stop away from the seat of the protest. The interviews will be held from Friday.
“Due to some unforeseen situation, the venue of the Personality Test of the 1,585 candidates of 1st State Level Selection Test for recruitment of assistant teachers (upper primary level except physical education and work education) in govt. aided/sponsored schools (except hill region) which is scheduled to be held from 21.10.2022 to 04.11.2022… is shifted to the main office of the West Bengal Central School Service Commission at Acharya Sadan, 11 & 11/1, Block-EE, Salt Lake,” says a notice issued by the commission on Wednesday.
Commission chairman Siddhartha Majumder said it was mentioned in the letters sent to the shortlisted candidates that the personality test would be held at the commission’s office in Karunamoyee. “But since the protest is indefinite, there is no guarantee that it would come to an end by Friday. Keeping in view the law and order situation, we have decided to shift the venue,” Majumdar said.
The commission had last Friday announced that it would interview 1,585 candidates who had cracked the selection test in 2015 for appointment as teachers in government-aided schools at the upper primary level, in compliance with a Calcutta High Court order.
The Telegraph reported on Wednesday that thousands of office-goers struggled to commute on Tuesday as the protesters blocked the main artery from Karunamoyee to Sector V and New Town. The scale of the protest remained the same on Wednesday, prompting police to come up with traffic diversions. One protester was taken ill and had
