West Bengal hikes age limit for state government jobs by five years

The West Bengal government has increased the upper age limit for recruitment to state jobs by five years. The decision fulfils a BJP poll promise. The new age limits are 41 for Group A, 44 for Group B, and 45 for Group C/D posts.

The West Bengal government on Tuesday increased the upper age limit for recruitment to state government posts by five years. The state cabinet has taken this decision, fulfilling the BJP's poll promise for age relaxation in recruitment. The Finance Department has formally notified the revised age limits, which came into effect on May 11.

Revised Age Limits for Government Posts

According to a press note from the Chief Secretary's Office, for recruitment through the Public Service Commission, West Bengal, the maximum age will now be 41 years for Group 'A' posts, 44 years for Group B' posts, and 45 years for Group 'C' and Group 'D' posts. In cases where the existing prescribed upper age limit for any post is already higher, that higher limit will continue to apply.

For other appointments, including recruitment by state statutory bodies, government companies, and local authorities covered under the West Bengal Regulation of Recruitment in State Statutory Bodies, Government Companies and Local Authorities Act, 1999, the upper age limit has been fixed uniformly at 45 years.

The existing relaxations in age available to candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and the differently-abled persons will continue to apply.

Assistant Professor Recruitment to Benefit

According to the Chief Secretary, the first recruitment process to benefit from this decision will be the ongoing selection for the post of Assistant Professor in Government-aided Degree Colleges. As the College Service Commission is a State statutory body, the revised upper age limit of 45 years will apply to this recruitment, instead of the earlier limit of 40 years.

In order to ensure that all newly eligible candidates are able to avail the benefit of this decision, the College Service Commission will extend the last date for submission of applications by one month.

The move comes to widen access to public employment opportunities across the State, particularly for aspirants who had narrowly crossed the earlier age threshold and would otherwise have been excluded from consideration for public service, the press note stated.

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