Headmaster and 7 Others Suspended for Assaulting Madhyamik Centre Head

Dipali Sen, MP, 4 FEB 2026, KOLKATA: The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) on Tuesday suspended eight teachers and non-teaching staff, including the headmaster, of Ajhapur High School in East Burdwan’s Jamalpur block after the officer-in-charge of a Madhyamik examination centre was allegedly attacked during a dispute over a mobile phone found inside the venue.

The incident occurred when a non-teaching staff member was found carrying a mobile phone inside the examination hall. The device was detected by the centre’s officer-in-charge, Prashanta Kabiraj—also the sub-inspector of schools for Jamalpur East Circle—after it rang.

According to a written complaint submitted by Kabiraj to Jamalpur police station, when he attempted to seize the phone and report the violation, an argument broke out involving several teachers. The complaint alleges that the dispute escalated into a physical assault, during which Kabiraj sustained injuries to his right eye.

Board sources revealed that CCTV footage is available up to the point of the argument, but the cameras were found switched off during the alleged assault, leaving around 11 minutes of footage missing. The incident reportedly took place in the room of headmaster Asim Kumar Biswas, who is also the venue supervisor. Six teachers and one Group D staff member were identified from available footage. All eight were suspended pending inquiry.

“This decision has been taken based on a preliminary report. A full report is awaited. Considering the seriousness of the incident and issues of discipline, all those involved, from the headmaster onwards, are being suspended with immediate effect,” WBBSE president Ramanuj Ganguly said.

Board officials will visit the centre on Wednesday to ensure that examinations from February 6 onwards are conducted smoothly. As per board instructions, only the centre secretary, officer-in-charge, and venue supervisor are permitted to carry mobile phones inside examination venues.

Meanwhile, five candidates were caught with mobile phones on Tuesday during the second language paper. Four were detected in the last 15 minutes of the exam, and one within the last half hour. All five had their examinations for the year cancelled.

Cases were reported from centres in West Burdwan (Bidhannagar Government Sponsored Boys’ High School), North 24-Parganas (Dakshin Nangla K U Institution, involving a Nabapalli Vidyabithi High School student), Birbhum (Kaijuli Hemchandra High School, involving a Maladang Seharakuri Bangshidhar High School student), Murshidabad (Gobardhandanga High School, involving a Gouripur Hemazuddin High School student), and North Kolkata (Deshbandhu Vidyalaya, Ultodanga, involving a Belgachhia Urdu High School student).

In contrast, two candidates at Swarnamayee Girls’ High School in East Midnapore surrendered their mobile phones before the examination began, following announcements by invigilators during the mandatory 10-minute window. No action was taken against them.