8 lakh candidates turn up for SLST test for Group D posts in schools in Bengal

Kolkata, Mar 8 (PTI) Over 8 lakh candidates on Sunday appeared for the first State Level Selection Test (SLST) conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) for recruitment of Group D non-teaching staff in government-aided schools across the state, officials said.

The examination was held to fill 5,489 Group D vacancies, with the test conducted in a single shift from 12 pm to 1:20 pm at 1,707 centres across West Bengal.

According to SSC officials, around 8.09 lakh applicants had registered for the recruitment test.

Candidates were not allowed to wear closed shoes or boots and were permitted only slippers or sandals.

The written examination was conducted in OMR format, carrying 40 marks, with questions from general knowledge, arithmetic and reasoning.

Authorities had put in place stringent security arrangements to prevent unfair practices during the exam.

Electronic gadgets such as mobile phones, watches and calculators were strictly prohibited inside examination centres.

Officials said the recruitment process was initiated to fill posts that had fallen vacant after the termination of 26,OOO teaching-non teaching employees following an order of the Supreme Court, which termed the SSC 2016 recruitment test process as "tainted and vitiated." Around 2,000 invalidated but "untainted" Group D staff of the 2016 SSC recruitment were also allowed to appear for the test.

The examination followed the Group C recruitment test conducted on March 1, in which over 7.5 lakh candidates had applied for non-teaching posts in state-aided schools.

The Group C (clerk) tests were held to fill 2,989 vacancies.

These two tests are part of a larger recruitment drive of 8,477 total vacancies. PTI SUS NN