In a major relief for thousands of assistant teachers in West Bengal, the Supreme Court on Thursday allowed those unaffected by irregularities in the 2016 recruitment scam to continue teaching students of Classes 9 to 12 until new appointments are made. The decision aims to ensure that students’ education does not suffer while the state begins a fresh selection process.
The top court emphasized that the interim protection is strictly for assistant teachers whose appointments have not been linked to any wrongdoing. This decision comes after the court had earlier cancelled over 25,000 appointments in connection with the recruitment scam, disrupting education across many government schools in the state.
New Hiring Process Under Court’s Watch
To ensure a smooth transition, the Supreme Court set a clear timeline for the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC). It directed the commission to issue advertisements for new teacher recruitments by May 31. The entire selection process, including exams and appointments, must be completed by December 31.
Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna stated that the state government and the WBSSC must file an affidavit before May 31, submitting the advertisement and a detailed schedule. If the commission fails to meet this deadline, the court warned that it could impose penalties or pass other appropriate orders.
This decision does not extend to non-teaching staff, including Group C and D employees, many of whom were also removed following the court’s April 7 ruling. The bench clarified that due to a higher number of “tainted” appointments among non-teaching staff, they would not be granted the same relief.
Court Prioritizes Students’ Education
The court explained that the need to protect students’ academic continuity played a key role in its decision. “We are inclined to pass this order only for untainted assistant teachers, as students should not be penalized because of administrative lapses,” the bench noted.
Following the mass dismissal of teachers earlier this month, several schools in West Bengal were left in disarray. Both the WBSSC and the state government had appealed to the apex court for temporary relief, arguing that sudden vacancies were hampering classes across various districts.
The Supreme Court had earlier declared the entire 2016 recruitment process “vitiated and tainted beyond resolution,” leading to the mass termination of appointments, which included teachers and non-teaching staff.
