WBBSE Leave Rules: Major Changes in CCL and Paternity Leave Rules for Teachers! Know the Board’s New Guidelines

WBBSE Leave Rules: The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) has issued a significant notification to ensure the smooth conduct of the upcoming Madhyamik Examination 2026. The circular, published on 10th November 2025, clarifies new rules regarding Child Care Leave (CCL) and Paternity Leave for teaching and non-teaching staff. These guidelines are applicable to all secondary schools in the state, especially those designated as examination centres or venues.

Special Rules for Centre and Venue Schools

The Board has stated that for schools selected as centres or venues for Madhyamik 2026, teachers and staff will be granted CCL or Paternity Leave (PL) under specific conditions. These rules are applicable only to certain situations.

• Who is Eligible: This special leave will only be granted to those teachers whose children are appearing for the Madhyamik or Higher Secondary examinations in 2026.
• Primary Condition for Application: The applicant must submit a written declaration stating that their spouse is not availing the same leave for the same reason. In other words, both parents cannot take leave simultaneously for their child’s examination.
• Required Documents: A copy of the child’s examination routine, admit card, or school identity card must be attached with the leave application.
• Application Deadline: The application must be submitted to the school’s Managing Committee at least three weeks before the leave is scheduled to begin.

The Leave Approval Process

An important clarification is that for CCL or PL taken on account of a child’s examination, the application does not need to be forwarded to the Board for approval. The school’s Managing Committee or Administrator can grant the leave after verifying that the aforementioned conditions are met.

However, if granting such leave leads to a shortage of teachers or staff at the school, the school authorities must immediately inform the District Inspector of Schools (D.I.). In such cases, the D.I. will arrange for the allotment of teachers from non-venue schools or schools not participating in the examination to ensure the process runs smoothly.

Special Situation: Teacher on Duty While Child is an Examinee

The notification also addresses a unique scenario. If a teacher working in a venue school has a child appearing for Madhyamik 2026 but does not take leave themselves (perhaps because their spouse has taken leave), they can be assigned examination duty. However, to maintain the integrity of the examination, certain restrictions will apply to them.

They will be barred from the following critical tasks:

• Entering the Strong Room.
• Opening or handling question papers.
• Performing invigilation duties inside the examination hall.

Other Important Instructions

The Board has also clarified a few other points that all teaching and non-teaching staff should be aware of.

• Script Evaluation Duty: Even if a teacher is on CCL or PL, they must fulfil their duty of script checking for the Madhyamik examination if assigned.
• CCL/PL for Other Reasons: If CCL or PL is required for reasons other than a child’s examination (e.g., child’s illness), or if the teacher’s school is not a venue but their child is an examinee, the application must be forwarded to the WBBSE for approval.
• Appeal Regarding Other Leaves: The Board has made a “humanitarian appeal” to all staff, requesting them not to take other forms of leave, such as Casual Leave (CL) or Medical Leave, during the examination period unless it is absolutely essential. This is to ensure the successful management of a large-scale event like the Madhyamik examination.

These new regulations are expected to bring more discipline and order to the management of the upcoming Madhyamik examination.