Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday announced that his government will introduce a transparent recruitment system modeled on the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) across all state recruiting agencies, beginning with the School Service Commission (SSC).
Addressing a Rojgar Mela programme, the Chief Minister said the reform aims to restore transparency and credibility in public recruitment by ensuring that selection processes are overseen by non-political individuals. The SSC, now headed by former Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala, will be the first recruiting agency to adopt the new framework.
UPSC Model to Ensure Transparency in Recruitment
Highlighting the government’s commitment to clean recruitment practices, Adhikari said the School Service Commission would function on the lines of the UPSC, where appointments and recruitment processes are conducted under an independent and transparent mechanism.
He alleged that recruitment agencies had become “messy” during the previous government and were affected by corruption, stressing that the new administration is determined to rebuild public confidence in the recruitment process.
The Chief Minister said the government intends to gradually extend the UPSC-style model to other state recruitment bodies as well.
Employment Generation Remains Top Priority
Apart from recruitment reforms, Adhikari outlined the government’s broader employment strategy aimed at creating sustainable job opportunities through industrial growth, entrepreneurship and skill development.
He said the state would focus on:
- Promoting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
- Encouraging entrepreneurship
- Aligning skill development with market demand
- Expanding vocational education to improve private-sector employability
According to him, strengthening vocational education will equip young people with practical skills required by industries and enhance their employment prospects beyond government jobs.
Major Push for Food Processing Industry
The Chief Minister also identified the food processing sector as one of West Bengal’s biggest untapped opportunities.
He observed that the state possesses abundant agricultural resources—including pineapple, cashew and other produce—but has not fully leveraged them for industrial and employment growth.
To encourage entrepreneurship in the sector, Adhikari announced special incentives and said aspiring entrepreneurs would receive security-free loans to establish food processing units.
“There will be security-free loans for those who want to make a career in the food processing industry and thus they can own a small business,” he said.
The initiative is expected to generate employment while adding value to the state’s agricultural produce.
Pending Vishwakarma Yojana Applications Cleared
The Chief Minister also criticised the previous administration for allegedly failing to implement the Vishwakarma Yojana, claiming that nearly 8.6 lakh applications had remained pending.
He said the present BJP government has cleared all pending applications within the past 10 weeks, describing it as part of the government’s commitment to employment generation and support for artisans and traditional workers.
According to Adhikari, employment creation remains one of the government’s foremost priorities, and multiple initiatives are being implemented simultaneously to expand livelihood opportunities across sectors.
Focus on Transparent Governance and Economic Growth
The announcements made during the Rojgar Mela reflect the government’s twin focus on reforming public recruitment while accelerating private-sector employment through MSMEs, entrepreneurship, vocational education and food processing industries.
With the proposed UPSC-style recruitment framework, the West Bengal government aims to strengthen transparency in appointments while complementing broader efforts to boost economic activity and job creation across the state.
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