kolkata

IIE DIGITAL: The West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) will restart the document verification process for candidates applying for secondary-level teaching posts from July 30, even as uncertainty continues over the interview schedule required to complete the recruitment process.

The verification exercise, which includes physical scrutiny of educational certificates, mark sheets, caste certificates and other documents submitted during online applications, will take place at the SSC’s five regional offices.

The move comes amid mounting pressure to complete the recruitment process within the deadline set by the Supreme Court. The apex court had directed that appointments for eligible teachers be completed by August 31.

Despite the resumption of verification, aspirants remain concerned over the absence of a timeline for interviews. According to sources, the SSC is awaiting the state government's decision on the extent of Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation in the recruitment process. The government is yet to clarify whether the reservation quota will continue at 17 percent or be revised to 7 percent, delaying the next stage of recruitment.

The uncertainty has triggered frustration among candidates, who argue that completing document verification without announcing interview dates serves little purpose. A section of job aspirants has announced plans to stage a protest on August 2, demanding that the recruitment process be expedited.

Among those awaiting appointments are 15,403 teachers whose earlier appointments were cancelled but were not found guilty of any wrongdoing. They appeared for a fresh recruitment examination conducted in September 2025 after the Supreme Court invalidated the 2016 recruitment process, describing it as "tainted." These teachers will continue to receive their salaries until August 31.

The court's April 3, 2025 verdict had cancelled the appointments of 17,209 teachers recruited through the 2016 selection process in government-aided secondary and higher secondary schools, prompting the state to conduct fresh recruitment examinations.

The current recruitment drive aims to fill more than 35,000 teaching vacancies, including around 23,000 posts in secondary schools and nearly 12,000 posts in higher secondary schools.

In a notification issued on July 23, the SSC announced that document verification for successful candidates of the 2025 State Level Selection Test (SLST) for Classes IX and X in English, Physical Science and Life Science would begin on July 30. Candidates have been asked to download their verification letters from the commission's official website and report to their respective regional offices.

Verification for candidates in the remaining subjects had already been completed before the Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, several candidates fear the recruitment timeline may once again fall behind schedule. They point out that appointments for approximately 3,500 higher secondary teaching posts recommended before the Assembly elections are still pending, while interviews for many other vacancies have yet to be announced. With only document verification resuming for secondary-level posts, uncertainty over the completion of the recruitment process continues to persist.