Madhyamik Pariksha 2026 to Begin on 2 February; Authorities Seek Relief for Teachers from BLO Duties During Examination Period

West Bengal Board of Secondary Education urges administrative support to ensure smooth conduct of the state’s largest public examination in line with Election Commission guidelines and court directions

KalimNews, Kolkata, January 29, 2026 : The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) has announced that the Madhyamik Pariksha (Secondary) 2026 will commence on 2 February 2026, with preparations currently underway at all levels across the state, according to reports received by the Board. The detailed schedule of the Madhyamik Pariksha (Secondary) 2026 has been enclosed for ready reference.

In this connection, the Board has drawn attention to the engagement of secondary school teachers as Block Level Officers (BLOs) for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise being conducted under the aegis of the Election Commission of India (ECI). The Board has earnestly requested the concerned district and jurisdictional authorities to spare such teachers from their BLO responsibilities on examination days, up to approximately 4.30 pm. It has been emphasised that these teachers are required to perform duties directly related to the conduct of the Madhyamik Pariksha, as well as associated tasks necessary for its safe, secure and orderly completion.

The Board has expressed confidence that this request, made in the interest of the smooth and uninterrupted conduct of one of the largest public examinations in West Bengal, will be fully appreciated and that all necessary cooperation will be extended by the concerned offices. It has also reiterated the expectation of strict compliance with the direction passed on 4 August 2025 by the Calcutta High Court in its Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction, WPA 17060 of 2025 (Kalpabiswa Chakrabarty & Others vs. State of West Bengal & Others).

As recorded in the said order, learned counsel representing the Election Commission of India submitted that the impugned order had been issued in consultation with the concerned school authorities and was not unilateral in nature. It was further submitted that the Election Commission of India has published clear guidelines stipulating that teachers shall be drafted only minimally as Booth Level Officers. Where such deployment is unavoidable, teachers should be engaged during holidays, non-teaching days and non-teaching hours in order to prevent any loss of academic work. The guidelines further specify that no teacher from a single-teacher school shall be deployed for BLO duties and that BLO-related activities must be planned in a manner that does not adversely affect the work of the teachers’ parent department.

The learned advocates representing the State of West Bengal and the Union of India adopted the submissions advanced on behalf of the Election Commission of India. The order also took note of the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in St. Mary’s School (supra), wherein it was clearly laid down that teachers may be required to perform such duties only on holidays, non-teaching days and during non-teaching hours.

Concluding the matter, the Hon’ble High Court disposed of the petition with the observation that any duties assigned to officers must strictly adhere to the comprehensive instructions regarding Booth Level Officers issued by the Election Commission of India on 4 October 2022. A copy of the said order has been enclosed by the Board for ready reference.

In light of the above, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education has sought consideration and necessary directions from the competent authorities to ensure that secondary school teachers engaged as BLOs are facilitated in such a manner that they are required to work only on holidays, non-examination days and after examination hours during the period from 2 February 2026 to 12 February 2026, thereby safeguarding the smooth conduct of the Madhyamik Pariksha (Secondary) 2026.