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WBSSC's Supreme Court Move: Why 32,000 Teacher Jobs Hang in the Balance

The West Bengal School Service Commission has taken a preemptive step by filing a caveat in the Supreme Court. This move comes after a Calcutta High Court division bench reinstated 32,000 primary teacher jobs that were previously cancelled. The Commission wants to ensure it gets a hearing if any party challenges this High Court verdict. The legal battle centers on alleged recruitment irregularities and the fate of thousands of teachers.

Key Points: WBSSC Files Caveat in Supreme Court Over 32K Teacher Jobs Case

  • WBSSC files caveat anticipating Supreme Court challenges to the High Court's teacher recruitment ruling
  • Division bench overturned a single-judge order that had cancelled 32,000 primary teacher appointments
  • The bench acknowledged irregularities but cited severe hardship to innocent teachers and families
  • The original cancellation order was issued by Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, now a BJP MP
2 min read

WBSSC moves Supreme Court to prevent ex-parte order in school jobs case

The West Bengal School Service Commission moves the Supreme Court to prevent an ex-parte order after a High Court verdict on 32,000 primary teacher appointments.

"Innocent candidates who had no role in any wrongdoing should not lose their jobs. - Calcutta High Court Division Bench"

Kolkata, Dec 5

The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) on Friday filed a caveat in the Supreme Court, requesting that the court should not pass any order without hearing the Commission if a petition is filed against the recent Calcutta High Court judgment on alleged irregularities in the recruitment of primary teachers in state-run schools.

On December 3, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court -- comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Ritabrata Kumar Mitra -- set aside an earlier order by a single-judge bench that had cancelled the appointments of 32,000 primary teachers.

After the division bench ruling, several groups unhappy with the decision announced that they would approach the Supreme Court. Senior lawyers from both the BJP and CPI-M also publicly said they were willing to represent these petitioners at the apex court.

Anticipating that a challenge in the Supreme Court is almost certain, the WBSSC filed the caveat to make sure the court does not issue any interim order without hearing its side first.

The single-judge order that cancelled the 32,000 jobs was passed by Abhijit Gangopadhyay -- then a judge of the Calcutta High Court and now a BJP Lok Sabha MP.

On December 4, the High Court division bench ruled that although irregularities had indeed taken place in the recruitment process, it would not be fair to terminate such a large number of teachers who have served for years.

The bench said that innocent candidates who had no role in any wrongdoing should not lose their jobs. It added that cancelling all 32,000 appointments would cause serious hardship to the teachers and their families.

The WBSSC's caveat ensures the Commission will get a chance to present its arguments once any petition challenging the High Court's order reaches the Supreme Court.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
This whole saga is so frustrating. First, a judge cancels all appointments, then he joins politics? It raises questions. The division bench's approach is more balanced – address the irregularities but don't destroy livelihoods. Hope the Supreme Court sees the human angle too. 🙏
R
Rohit P
The real issue is the recruitment scam that happened. Why is no one talking about punishing the actual culprits who took money or manipulated lists? Innocent teachers shouldn't suffer, but the corrupt officials and middlemen must be behind bars. Justice is incomplete otherwise.
S
Sarah B
As an observer, the procedural move by WBSSC is smart. Filing a caveat is standard legal practice to prevent one-sided orders. The political parties jumping in to represent petitioners shows how politicized education jobs have become in India. The focus should be on the students' future.
V
Vikram M
My cousin was one of these teachers. The uncertainty over the last few years has been hell for their family. They took loans, planned their lives. You can't play with people's careers like this. The division bench's verdict brings some relief. Hope SC doesn't overturn it.
K
Karthik V
While I sympathize with the teachers, we must respectfully ask: what about the deserving candidates who lost out because of the irregularities? Their futures were also ruined. The solution isn't just protecting current appointees, but also compensating and providing jobs to those who were wronged. The system needs a complete overhaul.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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