West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announces commencement of new teacher recruitment process, in compliance with the directive from the highest court.
West Bengal: Amidst ongoing protests, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a fresh recruitment process for teachers on Tuesday, following the Supreme Court's directive in the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam. Simultaneously, she vowed to pursue the review petition for reinstatement of those who lost their jobs due to the scam.
Addressing a press conference, CM Banerjee appealed to the affected teachers to participate in the fresh process, assuring them of age relaxation and the benefit of their experience. However, the teachers, who have been agitating since their appointments were invalidated by the Supreme Court on April 3, expressed feelings of disappointment and shock at the announcements.
"We want all those teachers who lost their jobs to get their jobs back. But we also have to follow the Supreme Court directive on issuing the notification by May 31. I want to tell you that we have been compelled to do this. Do not think we are agreeably doing this," said CM Banerjee.
The West Bengal government has been awaiting the Supreme Court to take up the review petition, but the summer vacation at the court has delayed its hearing. CM Banerjee stated that if an order based on the review petition guarantees jobs for the working teachers, the government will abide by it.
The recruitment process will cover approximately 24,203 posts. The notification for the fresh recruitment will be issued on May 30, with the online application process beginning on June 16 and closing on July 14. The results are expected to be published on November 15. CM Banerjee added that the government aims to complete the process by the end of November.
The appointments of over 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff of state-aided schools were invalidated by the Supreme Court on April 3, describing the 2016 recruitment process as "vitiated and tainted." The court had mandated the SSC to start a fresh recruitment process by issuing a notification before May 31 and complete the process by December 31.
Despite the CM's announcements, the affected teachers expressed concerns about the fresh recruitment process, stating it may effectively end the hopes of eligible teaching and non-teaching staff whose appointments were invalidated by the SC. The government's response has failed to assuage these concerns, with many questions concerning the syllabus, fairness, and practicality of the fresh recruitment process.Protests and concerns among the affected teachers persist, with many expressing frustration and uncertainty about their future due to the institutional corruption they were not involved in.
- The ongoing policy and legislation concerning the Education-and-Self-development sector in West Bengal, particularly the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam, has led to heated discussions in Politics, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announcing a fresh recruitment process for teachers amidst protests.
- General News outlets have reported on the concerns of affected teachers, who, despite the announcement of a fresh recruitment process to fill approximately 24,203 posts, are unsure if it will address their grievances. They assert that the new process may effectively end the hopes of eligible teaching and non-teaching staff whose appointments were invalidated by the Supreme Court, raising questions about the syllabus, fairness, and practicality of the new process.
