WBBSE Verification SOP: WBBSE Issues Strict SOP to DMs for Voter Document Verification amid Madhyamik Prep

WBBSE Verification SOP: In a significant administrative move to streamline the ongoing voter list revision process, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) has issued a strict Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to all District Magistrates (DMs). With the state undergoing a massive ‘Special Intensive Revision’ (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Board has stepped in to resolve the chaos caused by scattered document submissions. Board President Ramanuj Gangopadhyay has communicated these directives to the District Election Officers across 23 districts to ensure efficiency.

Ending the Email Chaos: The Single Channel Policy

Previously, documents required for age or qualification verification were being sent to the Board via innumerable separate emails from various administrative levels. According to the Board President, sifting through thousands of emails to locate specific scanned documents had become an impossible task, leading to potential delays and errors.

To combat this, the new SOP introduces a structured approach:

• Centralized Submission: Documents can no longer be sent via random emails. A specific online channel has been designated for submitting all necessary lists and documents from the districts.
• Streamlined Reporting: Once the verification is complete, the Board will send the reports back to the respective districts centrally, ensuring a closed-loop communication system.
• Fee Waiver: While the Board usually charges Rs 300 for document verification, this fee has been waived for the SIR process to facilitate the election work.

The Challenge of Volume and Timing

The timing of this directive is critical. Sources from Bikash Bhavan reveal that the hearings for approximately 1.26 crore voters are currently underway, which includes 32 lakh unmapped voters and 14 lakh voters with mapping issues. Out of this massive pool, documents for at least 10% (around 12 lakh people) are expected to be sent to the Board for verification.

Simultaneously, the Board is under immense pressure due to the upcoming Madhyamik Pariksha (Secondary Examination), scheduled from February 2 to February 12. With 10.79 lakh students appearing for the exams, the Board’s machinery is working at full capacity. The strict SOP aims to ensure that the voter verification process does not hamper the exam preparations and concludes smoothly by the February 7 deadline.

Clear Guidelines on Valid Documents

To prevent unnecessary administrative burden, the WBBSE has set clear boundaries on what can be verified under this process:

• Jurisdiction Limits: The Board has explicitly stated that Admit cards, Marksheets, and Certificates issued by the Higher Secondary Council cannot be processed by them.
• Other Boards: Documents belonging to other educational boards are also not acceptable for verification by the WBBSE.
• Valid Documents: Only Madhyamik (Secondary) level documents such as Admit Cards, Registration Certificates, Marksheets, and Pass Certificates issued by WBBSE will be verified.

Officials remain optimistic that immediate implementation of this SOP will eliminate confusion and ensure that the administrative complexities surrounding the voter list correction process are resolved swiftly.