Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examinees would not have to appear for ‘Test’ in the current academic session as students have been unable to attend school in the wake of the ongoing Covid pandemic, said chief minister Mamata Banerjee after the state Cabinet meeting in Nabanna today.

As per norm, students who qualify the ‘Test’ are allowed to appear in the class X and XII boards.

“State education department has decided to do away with ‘Test’ for students appearing for Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examinations in 2021. As schools were closed due to the pandemic students have missed a lot of classes and so it is not possible for them to appear for the ‘Test’ at this moment,” said Miss Banerjee. Schools of the state are currently closed and Miss Banerjee is yet to announce the date for their reopening.

Interview to recruit teachers

The state Cabinet has decided to fill up 16,500 teaching posts in schools and this process will be started by December-January. Around 20,000 candidates have qualified the TET and will now appear for an interview. Miss Banerjee directed the state education department to start the interview process for recruiting these candidates by December-January. The selected candidates will be recruited against the 16,500 vacant teaching posts in schools. The remaining candidates will be recruited in phases.

A total of 2.50 lakh candidates have applied for TET but the exam could not be held due to Covid. An offline exam would be held for these candidates, she added.

Three new police battalions

In a significant move, the state government has decided to set up three new police battalions in Junglemahal, Hills and Coochbehar by January 2021 for providing additional security and ensuring law and order situation in those areas.

Announcing the decision, Miss Banerjee said Narayani Battalion would be set up in Coochbehar to honour the sentiments of the people of the district, Gorkha Battalion in Hills and Jungle Mahal Battalion in Jungle Mahal areas.

A total of 3,000 police personnel would be recruited in the three battalions that will be formed under the State Police. The respective state police chiefs would decide on how and when as well as the procedure for recruitment, she said.

The decision to set up a battalion in the Jungle Mahal areas comes soon after the Union home ministry withdrew two battalions of CRPF from Purulia, Bankura and Jhargram and shifted them to Chhattisgarh, Eight battalions were posted in different Jungle Mahal districts since 2009 when the Maoist activities were at their peak in Bengal.

According to Nabanna sources, the Jungle Mahal Battalion will keep a close eye on Maoists’ movement in the area. Though the activities of the banned outfit declined after the change of guard in Bengal, there has been a rise in Maoist presence in the Jungle Mahal districts in recent months.

On the other hand, the Rajbanshi population has for long been demanding a Narayani Sena regiment on the lines of the one that existed in the Cooch Behar kingdom. Recently, BJP national president JP Nadda assured the formation of Narayani Sena regiment in the Indian Army. Miss Banerjee today said that the Narayani Battalion is being set up to honour the sentiments of the people of Coochbehar.

This apart, the state Cabinet has approved giving clearance to 99 acres of land to Bagdogra Airport thereby enabling it to operate as a full-fledged airport. Miss Banerjee said that the state government has already sanctioned 85 acre of land to the airport and a night landing facility has been started in Bagdogra Airport.