Saugata Bhattacharyya, J
1. Affidavit-of-service filed on behalf of the petitioner is taken on record.
2. Matter is heard in presence of the learned advocates representing the petitioner and the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (for short, Commission).
3. Petitioner participated in the selection process for being appointed as Assistant Teacher in connection with 2nd State Level Selection Test, 2025 for classes XI-XII by submitting online application form.
4. Learned advocate representing the petitioner submits that though petitioner is scheduled caste candidate but in online application form which is at page 22 of the writ petition, petitioner was categorized as general category candidate. Petitioner prays for direction upon the concerned authority of the Commission to treat him as scheduled caste candidate by changing categorization from general to scheduled caste.
5. It is also submitted on behalf of the petitioner that personality test for the post of Assistant Teacher in Statistics (P.G.) for classes XI-XII is going on at present and petitioner should be permitted to participate in the said personality test.
6. Mr. Kalyan Bandopadhyay, learned Senior Advocate representing the Commission has opposed the writ petition and has submitted that petitioner at the time of submitting application online did not declare his category and as per the system followed by the concerned authority of the Commission, petitioner was treated as general category candidate.
7. It is further submitted on behalf of the Commission that on similar issue several writ petitions were already considered first by the Co-ordinate Bench and thereafter by the Honble Division Bench. In this regard reliance is placed on the judgement dated 16th December, 2025 passed by the Honble Division Bench on an intra-Court appeal being
MAT 2115 of 2025 (The West Bengal Central School Service Commission & Ors. vs. Somnath Pramanik & Ors.). It is submitted that in terms of the judgment of the Honble Division Bench dated 16th December, 2025, vide public notice dated 16th December, 2025, Chairman of the Commission kept the portal alive from 8:30 PM on 16th December, 2025 till 8:30 PM on 17th December, 2025 in order to extend the opportunity to the similarly circumstanced candidates like the petitioner to update their category by making access to edit option.
8. According to the Commission, as the present writ petition was filed on 18th December, 2025, no further opportunity may be extended to the petitioner taking note of the directions as contained in the judgment of the Honble Division Bench dated 16th December, 2025.
9. Having considered the submissions made on behalf of the parties and taking note of the judgment of the Honble Division Bench dated 16th December, 2025, this Court finds it apt to quote paragraphs 18 to 20 of the judgment dated 16th December, 2025 below:
18. In such circumstances, in our view, ends of justice would be sub-served by requiring the appellants to open the portal for updating the categorization for the candidates who filed writ petitions in this regard upto 2.30 p.m. today, i.e. December 16, 2025. Such portal will remain open till 6.00 p.m. on December 17, 2025.
19. The authorities will open the portal at 6-00 p.m. today and keep the same open till 6-00 p.m. on December 17, 2025.
20. We clarify that this measure is limited to persons who approached this Court on this issue till 2-30 p.m. today by way of filing of writ petition or appeal or otherwise. Authorities are at liberty to deal with such of the candidates who are not governed by this order, in accordance with law.
10. From the relevant part of the judgment dated 16th December, 2025, it appears that the Honble Division Bench directed the Commission to open the portal extending opportunity to the candidates to update their category, who filed writ petitions up to 2:30 PM on 16th December, 2025. Pursuant thereto Commission kept the portal alive for a limited period from 8:30 PM on 16th December, 2025 till 8:30 PM on 17th December, 2025 thereby permitting the similarly circumstanced candidates like the petitioner to make access to the edit option of the said portal and update their category.
11. In the present case, petitioner filed the writ petition on 18th December, 2025. Therefore, petitioner ought not to be permitted to change his category at this belated stage in view of the directions of the Honble Division Bench as contained in the judgment dated 16th December, 2025.
12. It needs to be taken into consideration that the personality test in connection with 2nd SLST, 2025 for filling up the post of Assistant Teacher in Statistics (P.G.) for classes XI-XII already concluded on 16th December, 2025. Therefore, no relief can be granted to the petitioner.
13. Writ petition stands dismissed. There shall be no order as to costs.
14. Urgent photostat certified copy of the order, if applied for, be given to the parties, upon usual undertakings.
