Primary teacher interviews postponed in West Bengal amid election schedule

PTI, April 3, 2026, Kolkata: The authorities have postponed the interview process for candidates who qualified in the 2022 Primary Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) in the wake of the ongoing election process, an official said on Friday.

The written examination was held on December 11, 2022, and written test results were declared on February 10, 2023.

Subsequently, the West Bengal Board of Primary Education issued a notification on March 12 this year announcing district-wise interview schedules for candidates from Purulia, Bankura, Malda, Paschim Bardhaman and Birbhum, among others.

However, in a fresh notification issued on April 1, the Board announced that all previously scheduled interview dates have been deferred until further notice.

Officially, no reason was cited for the postponement.

“All interview dates announced earlier stand postponed. Revised dates will be notified in due course,” Board president Goutam Pal said on Friday.

He said the Election Commission has been given updates about the entire interview process, and future dates would be announced after discussions with the EC.

"One interview date falls on April 23, which is the day for the first phase polling across the Jangalmahal belt. We announced the postponement following talks with the EC," he said.

According to the earlier schedule, interviews for Purulia candidates were to be held from April 6 to April 10, while those for Bankura were slated across multiple dates in April.

Interviews for candidates from Alipurduar and Dakshin Dinajpur were scheduled in early May, followed by Malda, Paschim Bardhaman and Birbhum later that month and early June.

Arup Dasgupta, a TET candidate in Dakshin Dinajpur, expressed frustration over the development.

"I was preparing for the interview after this endless wait since 2023. Are we being treated as guinea pigs?"