West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced that the state government will begin a fresh recruitment drive for school teachers in accordance with the Supreme Court’s recent order, even as a legal challenge is mounted to reinstate those who lost their jobs in the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam.
The announcement follows days of protests across the state by terminated teaching and non-teaching staff who were dismissed following the Supreme Court’s verdict nullifying their appointments due to irregularities in the SSC selection process.
Notification for Fresh Recruitment by May 31, Says Mamata Banerjee
Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee confirmed that the recruitment notification will be issued by May 31, in compliance with the apex court’s directive. She reassured the affected candidates that the legal battle for their reinstatement will continue through a review petition.
Watch Mamata Banerjee’s full press conference here:
“We will issue a new notification for teacher recruitment by May 31 as directed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” Banerjee said. “But at the same time, we will continue to fight legally for those who have lost their jobs. Both the review petition and recruitment process will move forward simultaneously.”
Offering a ray of hope to over 25,000 teachers and staff whose appointments were canceled, Banerjee declared that these candidates would not be disqualified from the fresh recruitment process due to age limits or other disqualifying factors.
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“Age will not be a barrier,” she stressed. “Those who lost their jobs will be allowed to sit for the exam again, even if they’ve crossed the age limit. They will also receive the benefit of their previous teaching experience.”
The Chief Minister’s comments come as a relief to the terminated staff, many of whom have been staging sit-ins and hunger strikes outside government offices. Social media has also been flooded with messages from affected candidates pleading for justice.
Background: SSC Recruitment Scam and SC Verdict
The Supreme Court, in its recent judgment, struck down thousands of appointments made through the West Bengal School Service Commission, citing widespread irregularities in the recruitment process. The ruling led to a massive outcry, with candidates alleging that they were being punished for the state’s systemic failures.
The SSC recruitment scam is one of the biggest education-related controversies in West Bengal, with allegations of cash-for-jobs, tampered merit lists, and fraudulent selection practices. Several top officials and political figures have been investigated in connection with the scandal.
State Government Walks Tightrope Between Law and Relief
The Banerjee administration is attempting a delicate balancing act — complying with the Supreme Court while addressing the human cost of the verdict. “We want justice for those who lost their jobs unfairly, but we must also obey the court,” Banerjee said, calling for a “humanitarian” approach to the crisis.
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The Education Department is expected to release detailed guidelines on the new recruitment process in the coming days. Affected candidates are urging the government to expedite the process while ensuring transparency and fairness.
May 31: Deadline for issuing fresh teacher recruitment notification.
Review Petition: West Bengal government will seek legal remedy for reinstating terminated staff.
New Exam: All affected candidates, regardless of age, will be eligible to apply.
The next few weeks will be crucial for thousands of jobless educators and the state’s school system, already reeling under administrative and staffing challenges.
