Goutam Paul Appointed WBJEEB Chairman; Exam Dates Expected Soon

MP, Feb 24, 2026, Kolkata: The state Higher Education Department has appointed Goutam Paul as Chairman of the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board (WBJEEB), ending a vacancy that had delayed key decisions, including the announcement of this year’s examination schedule. A notification issued on Monday said the appointment takes effect immediately.

The post had remained vacant for over six weeks after the previous chairperson’s term ended on December 31. Paul is a professor in the Department of Physiology at the University of Kalyani and will continue to draw his pay and allowances from the university. He is also the president of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education.

The absence of a chairman coincided with the board’s failure to announce the date and application schedule for the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE) this year. In recent years, the examination has been conducted soon after the Higher Secondary examinations, with the process completed by the fourth week of April. In 2025, the examination was held on April 27, and applications were accepted from January 22 to February 23.

After the issuance of the appointment letter, Paul took charge as chairman of WBJEEB on Monday. On fixing the schedule of the WBJEE exam, he said the matter would be reviewed before a decision is taken. “I have joined today. We will discuss and decide. I will inform later,” he said.

The Higher Secondary schedule has been advanced this year in view of the elections. No announcement has yet been made on whether the WBJEE will also be advanced. Teachers had earlier expressed concerns that any delay in holding the WBJEE and publishing the results could affect admissions to engineering colleges in the state.