WB SET Exam is a state-level eligibility test conducted by the West Bengal College Service Commission (WBCSC) for candidates to qualify for the Assistant Professor position in colleges and universities of West Bengal. WBCSC conducts this examination, providing a golden opportunity for aspirants in the teaching sector. This article provides the candidates with some of the important information related to the WB SET Exam, which include eligibility, syllabus, application, etc.
Fee Payment Mode
WB SET Centres of Examination
The WB SET exam is held in several cities of West Bengal so that all candidates can get there easily. Careful choices are made to conduct the exam in selected examination centers. The centers in which WB SET exams are held are as follows:
Candidates are required to fill out the application form with the preference of their desired examination center. The final allocated center for the exam is indicated on the admit card. It is suggested to prefer a center that would be convenient for the candidate, so that any issues which could arise on the exam day are avoided.
What is the WB SET Exam?
WB SET is the short form for West Bengal State Eligibility Test. The West Bengal College Service Commission was established by an Act passed in 1979 in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. The major functions of this Commission include the selection and recommendation of Assistant Professors: Librarians and Principals to Government aided Colleges (around 450) in West Bengal; as well conducting the State Eligibility Test (SET). The Act of 1979 has been amended in 2012 and again in 2017. It is a qualifying test that determines the eligibility of candidates for the role of Assistant Professor in colleges and universities of West Bengal. It is similar to UGC NET but is specific to West Bengal. The test is conducted offline and the pattern is standardized with multiple-choice questions. It consists of two papers and both are conducted on the same day. Paper 1 is general in nature, while Paper 2 is subject-specific.| Exam Body | West Bengal College Service Commission (WBCSC) |
| Mode of Exam | Offline (Pen and Paper) |
| Exam Frequency | Annually |
| Eligibility | Master’s Degree with at least 55% marks (50% for reserved categories) |
| Application Mode | Online |
WB SET Eligibility Criteria
West Bengal State Eligibility Test is conducted by the West Bengal College Service Commission for assessing the eligibility of candidates to the position of Assistant Professor in universities and colleges throughout West Bengal.WB SET Educational Qualifications
- General/EWS Candidates : Having at least 55 % aggregate throughout Master’s degree or equivalent examination from an institution recognised by UGC.
- SC/ST/OBC (Non-creamy layer)/PWD/Transgender Candidates : Having at least 50 % aggregate throughout Master’s degree or equivalent examination from an institution recognised by UGC.
- Candidates in Final Year: Those candidates who are appearing for their final year of M.A. or M.Sc. or M.Com. degree, or those who have already appeared and are awaiting their result can apply. But such candidates must complete the degree with the required percentage within two years from the date of the SET result to be eligible.
- Ph.D. Degree Holders: Candidates who have passed Master’s degree by September 19, 1991, and already possess a Ph.D. degree are eligible for relaxation of 5% marks in aggregate (from 55% to 50%).
- Subject Requirement: Candidate must appear for WB SET in the subject of Post-Graduation. If their subject is not included in WB SET subjects, they may apply for UGC NET or Joint CSIR-UGC Test.
WB SET Age Limit
No maximum age to apply for the WB SET. However, the relevant Government Order will be applicable in respect of recruitment purposes.WB SET Relaxation
Qualifying percentage relaxation in case of candidates belonging to reserved categories, SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD/Transgender, respectively who need minimum marks of 50% marks in their Master’s degree.WB SET Reservation Policy
- The reservation is applicable according to the policy of the Government of West Bengal.
- Degrees of Disability: PwD reservation is available for candidates with 40% and above disability.
- Types of Disabilities: Blindness and Low Vision, Locomotor Disability (cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid-attacked person, muscular dystrophy) , Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Autism, Intellectual Disability, Mental Illness, and Multiple Disabilities
- Other Categories: S.C, S.T, O.B.C (Non Creamy Layer), EWS will fall under the category of reservation that applies to all states according to state norms.
- Verification: Candidates who are shortlisted against disability category in letter of eligibility must possess valid category certificates during document verification, failing which he/she may be disqualified from the selection process in case of misrepresentation or failure to produce these documents.
WB SET Exemption Policy
- Minimum Eligibility: The minimum eligibility for appointment as Assistant Professors is NET/SET/SLET.
- Exemptions from NET/SET/SLET:
-
- UGC/CSIR JRF Holders prior to 1989 are exempted.
- SET Qualified candidates prior to 1st June, 2002 can apply as Assistant Professors in any campus across India.
- SET Eligible Candidates (on or after 1st June 2002) can apply for Assistant Professor positions only in the state where they qualified.
WB SET Examination Fee & Payment Details
Below is WB SET Examination fee and details described:| Category | Examination Fee |
| General | ₹1300/- |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) / EWS | ₹650/- |
| SC / ST / PwD / Transgender | ₹325/- |
- Online Through Credit Card, Debit Card or Internet Banking
- Additional Processing Charges as appropriate to the payment gateway used.
- It can be checked at www.wbcsconline.in
- If the status is OK, then the Confirmation Page could be printed.
- If the status is not OK, the transaction is cancelled and is being refunded within a week.
- Please provide the following details by e-mail/helpline for complaints:
- Name of Bank/Payment Gateway
- Date & Time of Transaction
- Transaction Number & Bank Reference Number
- Proof of Transaction & Screenshot (if available)
- Offline payments are not accepted, like Challan, Demand Draft, Money Order, IPO, etc.
- Fees paid once cannot be refunded.
WB SET Exam Pattern
West Bengal State Eligibility Test, is conducted by West Bengal College Service Commission for the Assistant Professor in colleges and universities of West Bengal. Two papers are set up in which Paper I is General whereas Paper II is Subject Concerned.| Paper | Duration | Number of Questions | Marks | Type of Questions |
| Paper I | 1 hour | 50 | 100 | Objective-type (General Paper: Teaching, Research, Aptitude, etc.) |
| Paper II | 2 hours | 100 | 200 | Objective-type (Subject-specific based on the chosen subject) |
WB SET Application Form
The WB SET application form is made available online on the website of the West Bengal College Service Commission (WBCSC). Candidates are required to apply through online registration by filling out the application form with personal details, educational qualifications and contact information. It also includes uploading some important documents like recent photographs, signatures and other necessary educational certificates. Then candidates must make the payment for their application process through an online mode of payment. An application must be submitted before the date set for submission; hence, late submissions are not accepted.WB SET Subject and Syllabus
For every subject, the syllabus is issued by the West Bengal College Service Commission that is equivalent to the syllabus for the respective subject in the UGC NET. The candidates need to prepare for the chosen subject and at the same time develop a good amount of general aptitude for Paper 1. The WB SET has two papers namely Paper 1 and Paper 2. A list of the SET subjects and their corresponding codes is shown as follows:| Subject Code | Subject |
| 1 | English |
| 2 | Bengali |
| 3 | Sanskrit |
| 4 | Hindi |
| 5 | Urdu |
| 6 | Commerce |
| 7 | Economics |
| 8 | History |
| 9 | Philosophy |
| 10 | Political Science |
| 11 | Education |
| 12 | Chemical Sciences |
| 13 | Geography |
| 14 | Life Sciences |
| 15 | Mathematical Sciences |
| 16 | Physical Sciences |
| 17 | Sociology |
| 18 | Psychology |
| 19 | Library & Information Science |
| 20 | Physical Education |
| 21 | Electronic Science |
| 22 | Computer Science |
| 23 | Home Science |
| 24 | Santali |
| 25 | Mass Communication & Journalism |
| 26 | Anthropology |
| 27 | Earth Sciences |
| 28 | Music |
| 29 | Law |
| 30 | Nepali |
| 31 | Management |
| 32 | Arabic |
| 33 | Environmental Sciences |
| District Code | District |
| 11 | Alipurduar |
| 12 | Bankura |
| 13 | Birbhum |
| 14 | Coochbehar |
| 15 | Dakshin Dinajpur |
| 16 | Darjeeling |
| 17 | Hooghly |
| 18 | Howrah |
| 19 | Jalpaiguri |
| 20 | Jhargram |
| 21 | Kalimpong |
| 22 | Kolkata |
| 23 | Malda |
| 24 | Murshidabad |
| 25 | Nadia |
| 26 | North 24 Parganas |
| 27 | Paschim Bardhaman |
| 28 | Paschim Medinipore |
| 29 | Purba Bardhaman |
| 30 | Purba Medinipore |
| 31 | Purulia |
| 32 | South 24 Parganas |
| 33 | Uttar Dinajpur |
WB SET Admit Card
Admit cards for WB SET examination are issued online on the official website. Candidates will be able to download admit cards by using their log in details created during the registration process. It acts as a compulsory entry ticket to the exam hall. The admit card contains the candidate’s name, roll number, center address, reporting time and instructions about the day of the exam. Candidates must carry a hard copy of the admit card with a valid photo proof identity to the examination centers.WB SET Exam Dates
The WB SET exam dates are released by the West Bengal College Service Commission with a public notification. This includes dates like application form release date, last date for submitting applications, release of the admit card, exam day, answer key release date and the date for declaring the result. All candidates should track these dates so they don’t miss out on important dates.WB SET Answer Key
Once the WB SET is conducted, WBCSC publishes a provisional answer key. This provisional answer key contains the answer to each and every question that had been asked during the examination process. The Answer key ensures transparency in evaluation. Moreover, it helps a candidate guess his probable scores before declaration of results. Provisional answer key can be checked through the official website.WB SET Result
The result of the WB SET exam is declared online at the official website by completion of the evaluation procedure. The result contains the list of those candidates who qualify the examination for the post of assistant professor. Candidates can log into the result portal, by entering their login credentials. Score and subject-wise marks that each candidate has achieved; in addition to this information about qualifying status are available for them. Only those candidates having an achievement of cutoff marks are declared qualified.WB SET Cutoff
The cutoff in case of WB SET refers to the minimum qualifying marks against which a candidate may qualify for eligibility for the Assistant Professor position. The cutoff mark can vary across categories including the General category, the Other Backward Class or the OBC category, and the SC, ST categories, as well as the PwD category. Its marks are usually determined according to the factors such as those who have appeared, those who were found relatively harder, and the vacant seat numbers. The cutoff is published simultaneously with the result of the exam.WB SET Selection Process
Selection to the WB SET examination is based on a straightforward principle: one has to be qualifying in both Paper 1 and Paper 2 at the minimum marks based on the cutoff for that particular category. The selection depends on the aggregate marks achieved in both papers. As soon as the result is declared, successful candidates receive a WB SET certificate. That’s an eligibility certificate issued by West Bengal, permitting such eligible candidates to apply for the post of Assistant Professor in colleges and universities under West Bengal. It’s valid for a lifetime. They can apply any number of times according to vacancies.Preparation Tips to Crack the WB SET Exam
- Understand the Exam Pattern and Syllabus: Be well aware of the pattern for both papers and the syllabus relevant to your chosen subject.
- Develop a Study Plan: Establish a practical schedule that can allocate adequate time to every topic. Include revisions and practice regularly.
- Refer to Standard Study Materials: Use textbooks and other reference materials recommended for your subject. Join coaching programs or online courses for structured support.
- Practice Previous Years’ Question Papers: Practice previous question papers to get a feel of the type of questions and to know what to focus on. Regular practice will improve time management and increase confidence.
- Current Affairs: You may also keep updated with current affairs by reading daily newspapers and magazines, especially for the General paper.
- Study Groups: Interact with other aspirants through study groups or online forums to share knowledge and resources.
- Physical and Mental Health: Ensure a balanced diet, regular exercise and adequate sleep to keep your mind and body fit for effective studying.
Conclusion
The WB SET exam is very important for candidates seeking to become Assistant Professors in any college or university of west Bengal. This WB SET exam is held annually across all boards by the West Bengal College Service Commission (WBCSC). It consists of general aptitude (Paper 1) and subject-specific knowledge (Paper 2) tests. There are well-structured processes, eligibility criteria, and reservation policy for the WB SET exam, which ensures transparency and equal opportunity for candidates from all categories. Proper awareness of important dates, a comprehensive understanding of the syllabus and pattern, and efficient preparation will help the candidates to excel in this prestigious exam.WB SET Exam FAQs
West Bengal College Service Commission (WBCSC) is conducting the WB SET exam.
No upper age limit is prescribed to apply for the WB SET exam.
The candidates must have passed with at least 55% marks (50% for the reserved category) in their Master’s degree from any UGC-recognized institute.
Yes, final year applicants can apply, but would need to complete the program with the required marks, within two years from the date on which the SET result becomes effective.
The exam consists of two papers: Paper 1, General Aptitude and Paper 2, Subject-specific.
