\Kolkata: Uncertainty looms over the fate of some 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in government and aided schools in West Bengal continues as the Supreme Court would next hear the matter in February.
The selection process for the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in government and aided schools in West Bengal was vitiated due to malpractice and the state wanted to “protect” the illegal appointments, it was argued in the apex court on Monday.
The arguments were made before a bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar which was hearing a batch of pleas against the Calcutta High Court’s April 22 last year decision. The high court had invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in state-run and state-aided schools of West Bengal.
The arguments remained inconclusive and would continue on February 10.
On May 7 last year, the apex court stayed the high court’s order over the appointments made by the state’s school service commission (SSC). The apex court, however, permitted the CBI to continue with its probe in the matter. On Monday, the apex court heard arguments, including ones by the lawyers appearing for some of those who moved the high court against the selection process.
It was reportedly argued that the state’s SSC was unable to segregate the untainted candidates. One common point argued was that the majority of untainted selected candidates, who were adversely impacted by the high court’s order, had crossed the permissible age limit to write any competitive examinations as the impugned recruitment process was of 2016.
The case stemmed from the alleged irregularities in the 2016 recruitment process conducted by the West Bengal SSC.
The controversy revolved around the alleged corruption in the 2016 state-level selection test. While 23 lakh candidates appeared for 24,640 posts, a total of 25,753 appointment letters were issued. The Calcutta High Court, citing irregularities such as OMR sheet tampering and rank-jumping, invalidated the appointments in April 2024.