'Untainted' school teachers to continue working till Aug 31 as per SC directive: WBBSE

Kolkata, Dec 19 (PTI) A section of teachers of West Bengal, whose direct involvement in the school jobs scam was not proved, will continue in their services till August 31 next year as per a Supreme Court order, the Board of Secondary Education of the state said on Friday.

Altogether 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff of state-sponsored and -aided schools lost their jobs after the Supreme Court found large-scale irregularities in the 2016 state-level selection test (SLST) and scrapped the entire panel on April 3. These tutors teach in classes 9-12.

Later, the apex court directed the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) to arrange for fresh recruitment and complete the process by December 31 this year. Till that day, “untainted” teachers whose number stands at 15,403 were allowed to work.

Education Minister Bratya Basu and the Board Secretary Subrata Ghosh hailed Thursday’s ruling of the apex court, which extended the deadline to complete the fresh recruitment process by August 31.

"We are glad that the application filed by the Board in the Supreme Court was accepted on December 18. The not specifically tainted teachers of SLST 2016 are to continue till August 31. It is a forward-looking decision taken in the interest of the students and the school system of West Bengal," Ghosh said.

The education minister claimed that the apex court’s order is a clear reflection of its confidence in our state’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"During this period (from January to August 2026), the existing teachers will be allowed to continue working as before," Basu said in a post on X.

"The directive of the bench led by Justice Sanjay Kumar makes it evident that the West Bengal Central School Service Commission is proceeding along the right path of transparency and accountability," he said.

After a section of disgruntled jobless teachers of the 2016 panel filed multiple petitions before the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court, the WBBSE and the education department had approached the SC seeking an extension of the deadline till August 31 next year.

A senior WBSSC official said the recruitment process for teachers for Classes 11 and 12 was almost over, and the results would be announced by January 7, to be followed by counselling.

The selection process for teachers for Classes 9 and 10 will be completed by March, followed by counselling and other procedures, he said.

The fresh recruitment process had started in May. PTI SUS NN