Hundreds of job aspirants took to the streets across West Bengal on Thursday, demanding transparency and accountability from the West Bengal Staff Selection Commission (WBSSC). The protest was driven by three core concerns: an end to the practice of awarding grace marks, assurance of fair examination processes, and the immediate release of all pending recruitment vacancies.
The agitation centres on allegations that candidates who narrowly missed qualifying cutoffs were granted grace marks — typically five to ten extra marks — pushing them into the merit list. Opponents argue this practice undermines the credibility of the selection process and disadvantages those who competed on a level playing field.
Beyond the grace marks issue, protesters have complained about long delays in conducting examinations and publishing results for various posts under the commission's purview. Many candidates report waiting over a year after their applications were accepted before any further communication arrived. Several advertised vacancies across departments remain unfilled due to procedural holdups, leaving thousands of positions vacant while qualified candidates wait in frustration.
Student and candidate representatives said the demonstration was strictly peaceful and called for a meeting with senior officials of the state government to present their charter of demands. They urged authorities to consider forming an independent oversight committee to monitor future recruitment drives and ensure procedural integrity.
The WBSSC is one of the primary recruitment bodies in West Bengal, responsible for hiring staff at the clerical and lower-support levels across state departments. Any disruption or lack of public trust in its processes affects tens of thousands of applicants annually.
