SLST freshers clash with police near Bikash Bhavan, several candidates detained

A massive scuffle broke out at Karunamoyee on Monday afternoon as SLST freshers' job seekers attempted to march toward Vikas Bhavan. The protest was organised to voice grievances against the recruitment process, which job seekers claim is biased against newcomers. The Bidhannagar police had turned the entire Karunamoyee area into a virtual fortress to prevent the marchers from advancing toward the state education headquarters.

The primary contention of the freshers involves the 10 marks awarded to 2016 panel candidates based on their prior experience. Protesters allege that even after scoring full marks, newcomers are being sidelined because of the extra weightage given to older candidates in the exam held after a ten-year gap. They are demanding the immediate cancellation of these experience marks and a massive increase in vacancies to at least one lakh seats.

The situation turned violent when the police began forcibly detaining the protesters. Visuals from the spot showed police dragging job seekers into prison vans as they resisted arrest. Protesters were also seen being searched and picked up from various corners of Karunamoyee by the heavy police force stationed there. The job seekers further demanded the transparent publication of OMR sheets to ensure a fair selection process.

By late Monday afternoon, several protesters had been taken into custody, and the area remained tensed with a heavy police presence. Despite the arrests, the job seekers remained defiant, shouting slogans against the current recruitment norms. The administration's use of force to disperse the "Vikas Bhavan Chalo" drive has drawn significant criticism from the protesting candidates.