The Calcutta High Court has nullified all appointments of teaching and non-teaching staff made through the 2016 state-level test in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools. This decision affects approximately 24,000 jobs across Group C, D, and classes IX-XII categories.
The ruling, delivered by Justices Debangsu Basak and Md Shabbar Rashidi, requires those whose appointments have been annulled to return their salaries within four weeks. District magistrates have been tasked with collecting the repayments. The court also directed the state government to conduct a new recruitment drive.
The high court’s verdict came as part of its response to numerous petitions and appeals concerning the selection process conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC). The court found irregularities in the recruitment process, citing instances of blank OMR sheets.
The court’s decision has been welcomed by qualified candidates who were previously denied opportunities due to alleged favoritism in the hiring process. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the recruitment scam, had previously arrested former state education minister Partha Chatterjee and other WBSSC officials.
The CBI has been ordered to continue its investigation and submit a report within three months. The court’s ruling is seen as a significant blow to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government and raises questions about the recruitment process of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). Many worry that similar irregularities in the GTA could face similar repercussions in the future.
