West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to meet with thousands of teachers who lost their jobs after the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision to cancel the recruitment of over 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff appointed by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) in 2016.
The verdict, delivered last Thursday by a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, cited “large-scale manipulations and fraud” in the selection process, describing it as “tainted beyond repair.” The apex court ruled that those whose appointments were deemed fraudulent must be terminated and repay salaries earned over the past six months with interest.
In response, Mamata Banerjee has planned a meeting with affected teachers, many of whom have expressed deep frustration and heartbreak over being caught in what they describe as a scam they had no part in.
Speaking outside the venue, teacher Akhtar Ali said, “Those who committed fraud should be jailed. Why punish us when we followed the proper process?”
Another affected teacher shared her dismay, saying, “Nearly 19,000 of us are untainted, but we’re paying the price. We went to the Supreme Court in hope, but now we’re left devastated. We will not appear for a re-exam—why should we?”
Teacher Yasmin Parveen echoed similar sentiments: “We completed all procedures. After seven years of service, we are suddenly unemployed. We want nothing but our jobs back.”
The cancelled recruitment process has sparked widespread protests and calls for justice, with many urging the Chief Minister to intervene and find a resolution for those not involved in the irregularities.
