Relief for teachers: Apex Court allows ‘untainted’ teachers to continue work

Kolkata: The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the identified “untainted” assistant teachers of Classes 9 to 12 in West Bengal, whose appointments got invalidated in irregularities in the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment process, to continue in their work but has set a December 31, 2025 deadline for the state government to complete fresh recruitment process.

The decision was welcomed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who also assured the teachers that the state will resolve the issue by completing the recruitment process within the prescribed timeline. She earlier promised: “I stand by those who lost their jobs in schools in Bengal. I will do everything to restore their dignity.”

The bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar directed the State and the SSC to publish the advertisements for the fresh recruitment process by May 31, 2025.

The state and the SSC were directed to file an affidavit before May 31, 2025, producing the recruitment advertisement, warning that in case of a default the present order will get vacated.

The state had moved the Apex Court, praying that eligible appointees be allowed to continue in service till the end of the academic year or until the process of fresh appointments to such posts is concluded, whichever is earlier.

“We are inclined to accept the prayer in the present application as it relates to the assistant teachers of Classes IX-X and Classes XI-XII,” the bench said.

The court clarified that the order will apply only to assistant teachers, noting that large scale irregularity was found in recruitments in Group C and D staff.

On April 3, the Supreme Court had upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision invalidating more than 25000 teaching and non-teaching staff appointments made by the West Bengal School Selection Commission (SSC) in 2016.

Meanwhile, the ruling party of Bengal, Trinamool Congress viewed the direction as a much-needed reprieve for untainted teaching staff. The party also accused the BJP and CPI(M) of attempting to ruin the future of deserving candidates through “political conspiracies.”

The party wrote on X: “From the very beginning, Smt. @MamataOfficial has maintained that no deserving teacher shall be unfairly penalised. Today, the Supreme Court has allowed them to serve till 31st December 2025. We welcome the verdict. We won’t let @BJP4India and @CPIM_WESTBENGAL’s political conspiracies destroy people’s futures”