West Bengal recruitment scam: SC allows un­tainted teachers to stay

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday granted a temporary reprieve to West Bengal by allowing untainted sacked teachers to continue in service, despite the earlier annulment of their appointments. The decision came as a significant relief to the state, which argued that school operations had been disrupted and that new recruitment would require time.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar acknowledged the state government’s concerns regarding the adverse impact on teaching in various government-run and aided schools. While the court extended the tenure of teachers found untainted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), it declined to extend the services of Grade ‘C’ and ‘D’ staff members.

The Supreme Court directed the West Bengal government to initiate a fresh recruitment process on or before May 31 and complete it by December 31 this year. It also instructed the state government and the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) to submit a compliance affidavit confirming the start of the recruitment process within the stipulated timeline.

This decision follows the court’s earlier ruling on April 3, in which it invalidated the appointments of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in state-run and aided schools. The apex court had upheld the Calcutta High Court’s April 22, 2024 verdict, describing the entire recruitment process as “vitiated and tainted,” and ordered that those deemed to have benefited improperly should return the salaries or payments received.

With PTI inputs