The Election Commission of India has asked the state government to put on hold the interviews and aptitude tests conducted to shortlist candidates for teaching jobs in government-aided primary schools until the model code of conduct remains in force, the president of the primary education board said on Tuesday.

The board, in early April, had written to the commission requesting permission to continue the screening exercise, arguing that the interviews and aptitude tests are ongoing processes that began well before the model code of conduct came into force on March 15, with the announcement of the election schedule.

In Bengal, the polls are scheduled on April 23 and 29. The results will be declared on May 4.

A job aspirant, in early April, wrote to the commission alleging that holding interviews after the declaration of the polls violates the model code of conduct.

The board sent its appeal after the EC, on April 3, sought a “factual report” on the screening process, prompting the board to postpone the interviews and aptitude tests.

The screening exercises were scheduled to commence on April 6 and continue in several phases throughout the month.

“The commission last week wrote to the state government stating that the exercise be put on hold until the model code of conduct remains in force. The government has asked us to comply with the commission’s directive,” Gautam Paul, the president of the primary education board, said.

A teacher is appointed based on their performance in the Teachers’ Eligibility
Test (TET), interview, and aptitude test.

The model code of conduct is usually lifted after the declaration of results, but the EC must issue a formal notification to that effect.

Paul, on April 4, told a news conference that they hoped that once the education department sends the board’s report, stating that the screening exercise is an ongoing process and was started well before the model code of conduct came into force, to the EC, the commission will not object, and the board would be able to proceed with the screening process.

“But the commission has rejected the appeal,” said a board official.

The board is holding the screening exercise to shortlist candidates for the appointment of 13,421 assistant
teachers at the government-aided primary schools (Classes I to V).

The interviews and aptitude tests are being held in several phases, district-wise. It started in December and is likely to continue till September.

“A notice on the sixth phase screening exercise, supposed to start on April 6, was published on March 12, three days before the model code of conduct came into force. Accordingly, we proceeded with the interviews and aptitude tests. So the ongoing process does not violate the model code of conduct. However, the commission unfortunately refused to accept the logic,” said Manojit Mandal, a primary board member.

The current recruitment has to be completed at the earliest, as school students are suffering because of the absence of teachers, an education department official said.

There has been no TET over the past two years, as recruitments based on the tests held in 2022 and 2023 have not been completed.