Statesman News Service
Malda, 5 February
A handful of post offices in Malda are facing a tough time ever since the School Service Commission decided to issue forms for the secondary school teachers’ recruitment examinations. While only 12 post offices across the districts have been given the permission to issue the forms, the aspirants are in the thousands.
Grievances had been pouring in since the distribution started on 30 January, the situation took a nasty turn today. The district today witnessed protests, demonstrations and road blockades, while aspirants had a harrowing time, and, the postal department staff, helplessness writ large on their faces, did not know what was to be done. Police too had a trying time controlling the situation.
The day-long drama even demanded the tourism minister&’s interference. The minister, MR Krishnendu Choudhury, had to eventually speak to education minister, Mr Bratya Bose, over telephone. “Mr Bose has assured me he would look into the matter, and if necessary, the duration for the form issuance will be extended,” Mr Choudhury said. The deadline for the submission of forms is 8 February.

Tensions first surfaced at Rabindra Avenue, the life-line of the district headquarters, where hundreds of youths had queued up since 4 AM for the forms. But the post office there opened only after 11, well past the usual office hour.
The serpentine queue finally lost patience and the aspirants started going berserk. They then decided to block the road. Even the tourism minister&’s convoy was not allowed to pass by. The minister had to get down from his car, only to face the ire of the irate mob.
The minister immediately asked police to do the needful, but without using force. He also contacted the district postal authorities and asked the officials to immediately open the office in question.
The situation was no different in Chanchal, where no local post office has been given the right to issue the forms.
Candidates there are supposed to collect the forms from Harischandrapur, at least 22 km away. Aspiring persons staged demonstrations and slammed what they called the ‘want of wisdom’ on the part of the SSC authorities.
Though the post offices are supposed to distribute and receive the forms from 10 am to 4 pm, in most cases, the postal staff had to work well past the 4 PM deadline.
Asked on the rationale behind such a decision from the SSC authorities, SSC chairman (northern region) Mr Abdul Wahab, said, “All the decisions are taken by the central commission. We have informed central commission of the problems people are facing in Malda.”
Mr Wahab further said that only those post offices that had the Internet facility were assigned to distribute and receive the forms.