West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday came out strongly in support of the teachers who lost their jobs after the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision to cancel over 25,000 school staff appointments made by the School Service Commission (SSC) in 2016. The CM alleged that a “conspiracy” is underway to destroy the education system in the state.
“There is a conspiracy going on to destroy the education system. Teachers of classes 9 to 12 are the gateways to higher education… Many of them are gold medalists, yet they are being called thieves and incompetent. Who gave anyone that right? Who is playing this game?” Banerjee said during a meeting with the affected teachers.
She criticized the verdict, saying, “The decision that has come cannot be taken in a positive way. For saying this, I might be jailed, but I don’t care.” Banerjee also pointed out that no official list of eligible or ineligible candidates has been provided by the Supreme Court, making it difficult for the state to take corrective action.
Reaffirming her commitment to the teachers, Banerjee said, “As long as I am alive, I will not let any deserving person lose their job.” She emphasized that it is the state government’s duty to protect and provide employment to eligible individuals.
The CM revealed that senior advocates including Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Kapil Sibal, Kalyan Banerjee, Prashant Bhushan, and Rakesh Dwivedi are now looking into the matter on behalf of the state.
The Supreme Court verdict delivered on April 3 upheld the High Court’s finding that the SSC recruitment process was plagued by “large-scale fraud and manipulation,” rendering it “beyond repair and redemption.” The ruling followed the state’s appeal against a 2022 Calcutta High Court order that annulled the appointments.
The case continues to stir intense political and social debate in Bengal, with Mamata Banerjee positioning herself as a defender of deserving yet impacted educators, while the judiciary maintains its stance against systemic corruption in public recruitment.
