Kolkata: Examinees of the State Level Selection Test (SLST) will have to take the test wearing slippers or sandals, said the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (WBCSSC) while introducing a set of rules for the written examination for staff selection.The move is aimed at ensuring safety and transparency and prevent concealment of mobile phones or electronic gadgets inside covered shoes. Earlier, there was no such instruction, even during the recent assistant teachers’ recruitment test for secondary and HS levels in Sept.An official said, “This is very common in competitive exams, and this time we are introducing it here as well. If candidates come wearing slippers or flat sandals, it will be easier to check them thoroughly, as it won’t be easy to check each and every candidate by removing their shoes at the time of frisking when such a huge number is involved. At airports, people have to remove covered shoes for security purposes. If we introduce the same here, what is the problem? We are not asking them to enter the examination hall barefoot.“The commission will conduct written exams for fresh staff selection for Group C and D posts on March 1 and March 8, respectively. Around 9 lakh candidates will appear for the Group C written test, while about 8.2 lakh will appear for the Group D recruitment exam. The fresh test is being conducted to fill vacancies created after staffers from the 2016 panel lost their jobs following a Supreme Court order linked to a cash-for-jobs scam.The instructions also state that candidates are not allowed to wear watches or carry log tables, calculators, or any form of electronic gadget, including mobiles. Metallic items and jewellery are also barred in examination halls. Candidates may carry only a personal transparent water bottle, a simple transparent blue or black ballpoint pen, and an original valid photo ID. These items must be carried in a transparent folder.
