West Bengal is preparing to introduce a new recruitment policy in the next budget session to address irregularities and ensure transparency in government job recruitments, following previous scams.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the government aims to provide OMR answer sheet carbon copies to candidates to enhance transparency. Additionally, the weightage of viva examinations in the recruitment process will be reduced. The government plans to implement a 100-point roster for the reservation of OBC, SC/ST, and EWS categories, modeling its approach after the central government’s recruitment process, such as that of the Railway Recruitment Board.
Adhikari highlighted that West Bengal gained notoriety due to various recruitment scams during the previous regime, leading to interventions by the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court, which resulted in the cancellation of 26,000 school jobs. He emphasized the need to restore the state’s reputation.
“A Bill to enact a fresh recruitment policy will be introduced in the next Budget session of the West Bengal Assembly,” Adhikari stated.
He expressed that carbon copies of the OMR sheets were not previously provided to examinees, calling it a “very bad practice with mala fide intention” that facilitated nepotism and corruption.
At a Rozgar Mela organized by the central government, Adhikari remarked that West Bengal, once known for its educational standards, has gained “infamy” due to recruitment scams in schools and municipal bodies. He noted that examination centers were compromised, forcing candidates to take exams in neighboring states like Bihar, Assam, and Odisha.
The chief minister criticized the current recruitment system, which allocates maximum marks to viva examinations, asserting that this should be changed to minimize the weightage of viva marks. He also pointed out that the previous government failed to comply with constitutional obligations regarding the 100-point roster for reservations.
Adhikari stated, “We want transparent written tests for recruitment, proper evaluation of academic excellence, and implementation of the 100-point roster for reservation which is mandatory.”
He emphasized the importance of publishing candidates’ scores on recruitment organizations’ websites and maintaining transparency in the recruitment process, following the example set by the central government for its organizations.
A symposium involving all recruitment organizations in West Bengal is scheduled for June 6, where the government intends to adopt the examination process of the Railway Recruitment Board. Adhikari concluded by acknowledging the aspirations of parents for their children’s education and careers, which were compromised by the irregularities during the previous administration.
