Around 3.19 lakh candidates are set to appear for the State Level Selection Test (SLST) on Sunday, marking the return of teacher recruitment exams in Bengal after a nine-year gap.

The test will shortlist candidates for 23,212 teacher posts in state-aided secondary schools. Another round of tests for higher-secondary teacher posts is scheduled for September 14.

Among those writing the exam are 15,403 teachers who were sacked following a Supreme Court order and now have to qualify afresh to retain their jobs. A representative of this group, Mehboob Mandal, said they will appear for the exam dressed in black as a mark of protest.

On April 3, the Supreme Court terminated the appointments of 17,206 teachers. Of them, 15,403 were “not specifically found tainted” and were allowed to work until December 31. These teachers now need to clear the SLST again to continue in their roles.

The exam is being conducted under tight security and with transparency measures not seen in earlier editions.

Education minister Bratya Basu wished the examinees in a post on X on the eve of the test: “Entire administration is always with you to ensure security, transparency and provide all possible facilities... so that you will deliver your best.”

A breakdown of the process:

Exam: 2nd SLST

Examinees: 3.19 lakh

Centres: 636 across the state, each monitored by an observer from a college or university

Timing: Noon to 1.30pm. Candidates using scribes can write until 2pm

Arrival: Candidates must report by 10am — an hour earlier than what had been announced in end August — to allow for frisking, said SSC chairperson Siddhartha Majumder.

Security measures: Candidates will be frisked using hand-held metal detectors in the presence of police personnel to prevent the entry of electronic devices or prohibited items. Mobile phones, any kind of watch (wall clocks will be provided), calculators, log tables, and other gadgets are banned. Possession of any prohibited item will lead to immediate disqualification.

Allowed items: Candidates must carry their admit cards (downloaded from the SSC website and bearing barcodes), a photo identity card such as Aadhaar, and only transparent black or blue ballpoint pens. Transparent water bottles are permitted. Venue-in-charges have been instructed to keep extra transparent pens available.

Facilities: Each centre will have a cloakroom for candidates to deposit valuables in exchange for a token. There will also be designated enclosures where women candidates will be frisked by female personnel.

Question papers & OMR sheets: Question papers will be distributed at 11.45am. They will have security features, some of them common to all and others variable. Candidates are allowed to retain a duplicate copy of their OMR sheet after the exam. They must avoid writing anything on the OMR sheet outside the designated response areas.

Invigilator guidelines: Invigilators have been instructed to report any OMR sheets with drawings, impressions, or unusual markings. Such sheets must be sealed separately and handed over to the venue-in-charge with a written note. All OMR sheets must be verified by invigilators before being collected.

Eligibility & restrictions: While 15,403 untainted teachers will take the exam to secure their positions beyond December 31, 1,806 tainted teachers, accused of securing jobs in 2016 because of tampering with OMR sheets and other illegalities, have been barred from appearing.

Result timeline: Results are expected in November, with recruitment likely to take place in December after counselling and personal interviews.