SSC candidates during the strike on Wednesday. (Express photo: Partha Paul)Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday met candidates of School Service Commission (SSC) protesting in front of the Press Club at Dharmatala here and urged them to withdraw the relay hunger strike. However, they said they would take a call whether to call off the strike only after a meeting late on Wednesday night.
The candidates have been demanding their immediate appointment to state schools.
Mamata reportedly said the issue will be resolved in June after the model code of conduct is lifted. She asked education minister Partha Chatterjee, who accompanied her to the protest site, to include five representatives from the protesters in an expert committee, formed to resolve the issue.
“My sympathy is with you all. Give us a chance to work out a solution. You can keep your faith in me,” one of the protesters quoted her saying.
She visited the protest site after releasing the Trinamool manifesto. “The CM met us. She asked the minister to ensure our representatives are also part of the committee. As far as withdrawal is concerned, we will clear our stand by Thursday,” said Rupali Sandhukha, one of the protesters.
“She told us that she was concerned but due to the model code of conduct she was unable to make any assurance,” said another candidate.
The protesters were qualified for the post of assistant teachers and their names are on the waiting list of SSC. As many as 18,000 vacancies were notified in 2016, and selection test conducted in 2017. According to the results published in March 2018, 12,000 candidates were empanelled, while the rest were put on the waiting list. The Indian Express had earlier reported that the 6,000 candidates had threatened to stay away from elections.
Sheikh Insan Ali, president of SSC Youth Students’ Rights which is organising the protest, had claimed that despite thousands of seats lying vacant across schools, several candidates were waiting for appointment. Some students had earlier written a letter to the CM, seeking her intervention into the delay in appointment.
