Upper Primary recruitment delays lead to job refusals and absenteeism

MP, 17 Nov 2024, Kolkata: The lengthy 10-year recruitment process has driven many Upper Primary candidates to seek jobs in other sectors, leading to a rise in absenteeism and refusals with each day of counselling. 

The counselling process for the recruitment of assistant teachers at the Upper Primary level in state-aided and sponsored schools commenced on October 3. From the outset, absenteeism and refusals to take recommendation letters were notably high. 

During the first part of the first phase of counselling, 658 candidates were called, with 149 absent or refusing recommendations. This trend persisted when the second part of the first phase resumed on November 11. 

Till November 16, a total of 1987 candidates were called for the Bengali and English subjects for Bengali medium schools. Out of them 452 were either absent or refused. In total, 2,645 candidates were called, with 601 refusing the job, translating to nearly 22.72 per cent not taking the job. 

WBSSC officials suggest that since the recruitment process began nearly a decade ago, many candidates may have secured other jobs and do not wish to leave them. This theory is supported by most of the absent or refusing candidates. Amit Kumar Mondal, a candidate for the Bengali subject, was absent on November 11. 

“I was a primary teacher and am now working as a PGT scale teacher in a Kendriya Vidyalaya for the past two years,” said Mondal. Some candidates, like Soumen Das from North 24-Parganas, who are already working as primary teachers, did not attend the counselling due to a lack of vacancies near their homes. 

“In the upper primary, only three vacancies were available in my district for my category. Since joining upper primary wouldn’t change my pay scale, I decided not to go,” explained Das. 

Similarly, Tousif Ahmed, who secured a state government job in 2019, declined the upper primary teacher offer as it did not align with his preferred location. Many female candidates, especially those with young children, have also expressed reluctance to relocate to distant districts. 

“I was getting options for Medinipur or Purulia. I have a family, a child. I can’t leave them to go that far,” said a female candidate from Baharampur in Murshidabad district. The first phase of counselling will cover a total of 8,759 candidates on the merit list and will continue until November 27. 

Due to absenteeism, refusals and subsequent non-joining, candidates from the waiting list will be called for counselling in the second phase to fill remaining vacancies. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/situation-under-control-malicious-efforts-being-made-to-spread-rumours-police-on-murshidabad-587237?infinitescroll=1