The school service commission (SSC) has temporarily stopped accepting online applications for selection tests to shortlist candidates for non-teaching posts in government-aided schools.

The commission was scheduled to receive the applications from September 16.

The exercise has been put on hold, said an SSC official.

“We are occupied with uploading model answer keys for the tests to shortlist candidates who would be called for interviews later for the post of teachers. We have invited challenges from the candidates against the model answers that will be examined by our experts. The Supreme Court has mandated that we complete the teacher recruitment process for the secondary and higher secondary levels by December 31. We are focused only on that,” the official said.

“The apex court has not set us a deadline to appoint Group C and D school staff,” he added.

On September 7, the commission held a selection test to shortlist candidates for 12,514 teacher jobs for Classes IX and X. This was followed by another selection test on September 14, to shortlist candidates for 25,514 teacher jobs for Classes XI and XII.

A notification uploaded on the commission website in August said: “In compliance with the order of the Supreme Court dated 3rd April, 2025, the West Bengal School Service Commission is commencing selection process to the posts of non-teaching staff in recognized government-aided schools.”

The notification said candidates could apply on the commission’s website from September 16 to October 31. The fees were to be deposited by October 31.

More than one official spoke of the pressure of the timely teacher recruitments.

“...the commission is not in a position to accept applications for the non-teaching positions at present,” another official said.