The ongoing recruitment drive by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) has hit a major roadblock due to the upcoming 2026 Assembly Elections. With a massive chunk of government personnel being requisitioned for election-related duties, the SSC is grappling with an acute staff shortage. To prevent thousands of pending appointments from being stalled, the Commission has urgently moved the Calcutta High Court seeking a viable solution.

In its petition, the SSC highlighted that several recruitment cycles for teaching and non-teaching posts are currently in their final stages, including counseling and interview sessions. However, the mobilization of staff for poll duty and the conversion of schools into polling stations have brought the administrative machinery to a standstill. The Commission argued before the court that if the process is not allowed to continue during the election period, it would cause irreparable delay for thousands of deserving candidates who have already been waiting for years.

While the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) prohibits the announcement of new recruitment schemes, the completion of ongoing processes is usually permitted with the Election Commission’s nod. However, the physical lack of manpower is the primary hurdle for the SSC right now. The High Court is expected to hear the matter soon to decide whether special provisions or temporary staff can be allocated to ensure the recruitment process remains unaffected by the electoral frenzy. Candidates across the state are anxiously awaiting the court’s verdict, fearing that another delay could push their appointment letters beyond the 2026 poll results.