Government takes steps for hassle-free exam

Kolkata: State chief secretary Basudeb Banerjee on Tuesday chaired a meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna to review the preparedness for the Group D examination scheduled to be held on May 20. A total of 25 lakh candidates will appear for the examination among whom 5.5 lakh are from outside Bengal.

Interestingly, there has been applications from 25 lakh candidates against a vacancy of 6,000 candidates. Among the total examinees 35 per cent are women.

“This is for the first time that group D staff would be recruited through the West Bengal Group D Recruitment Board that was set up in 2015,” a top Nabanna official said. The examination would be held from 2.30 pm to 3.45 pm.

The district magistrates have been instructed to take necessary measures to ensure that examination can be held smoothly in the districts. The chief secretary instructed transport department officials to ensure availability of government buses. Private bus operators were also urged to run good number of buses on the day.

Keeping in mind the huge number of women candidates, women police personnel would be posted at all the examination centres. “There would also be help desks to provide necessary assistance to candidates. Proper security measures would be taken to ensure secrecy of the question papers,” the official said.

Officials of the Group D Board, transport department, senior officers of Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway and Metro were present at the meeting. Later, a video-conference was held with the DMs. The Railway officials  present assured the state government of extending all necessary help.