Bengal Teachers’ Recruitment Scam: SC invalidates appointment of 25,753 teachers, CM Mamata reacts, ‘will enforce but won’t…’

Bengal Teachers' Recruitment Scam: The case stemmed from the alleged irregularities in the 2016 recruitment process conducted by the West Bengal SSC in which 23 lakh candidates appeared for 24,640 posts and a total of 25,753 appointment letters were issued.

In a major jolt to the West Bengal government, the Supreme Court on Thursday invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and other staff in state-run and state-aided schools, and termed the entire selection process “vitiated and tainted”. The case stemmed from the alleged irregularities in the 2016 recruitment process conducted by the West Bengal SSC in which 23 lakh candidates appeared for 24,640 posts and a total of 25,753 appointment letters were issued.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar upheld a Calcutta High Court verdict dated April 22, 2024, annulling the appointments and ordered the Trinamool Congress-led state government to initiate a fresh selection process to be concluded within three months.

“In our opinion, this is the case where the entire selection process is vitiated and tainted beyond resolution. Manipulations and frauds on a large scale, coupled with attempts to cover-up, have dented the selection process beyond repair.

“The credibility and legitimacy of selection are diluted, and accordingly, we have to keep it (order of the high court) with some modifications,” the CJI said while pronouncing the verdict on as many as 127 petitions pertaining to the Calcutta High Court verdict.

The CJI also said the employees whose appointments have been annulled are not needed to return their salaries and other emoluments earned so far.

It, however, made relaxation for certain disabled employees on humanitarian grounds, saying they would remain in the job.

Meanwhile reacting to the judgement, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said it would be enforced but doesn’t accept it personally. “West Bengal’s ex-education minister is in jail, how many BJP leaders were arrested in MP’s Vyapam case… will meet those who have lost jobs, ask them not to lose hope.”

Coming down heavily on BJP, she said, “Does BJP want to ensure collapse of Bengal’s education system?”