The West Bengal government has launched a decisive administrative drive against “ineligible” candidates involved in the 2016 SSC recruitment corruption case, initiating the recovery of salaries from those who allegedly secured jobs through illegal means.

The move follows explicit directives from the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court of India, which ruled that tainted candidates must return the salaries they received along with applicable interest.

Acting on these orders, the Education Department has sought detailed reports from District Magistrates across the state and issued instructions to begin recovery proceedings. District administrations have also been directed to submit compliance reports to ensure timely execution of the court’s mandate.

Recovery limited to proven irregularities

Officials clarified that recovery will apply strictly to individuals found guilty of securing employment through irregularities. Allegations in the case include tampering with OMR sheets and незаконная manipulation of merit rankings.

The High Court had earlier stipulated that a 12 percent interest rate be applied to the recovered amounts, further increasing the financial burden on those found guilty.

In a humanitarian consideration, the Supreme Court has granted certain relaxations for differently-abled teachers and non-teaching staff, indicating a balanced approach while enforcing accountability.

OMR sheets made public

In a parallel step to enhance transparency, the West Bengal School Service Commission has released OMR sheets from the 2016 recruitment examination. Candidates can now access their records online using their roll numbers—a long-pending demand.

According to SSC officials, the data has been uploaded based on hard drives provided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in compliance with Supreme Court directives.

Currently, OMR sheets for the SLST (AT) examinations covering Classes IX–X and XI–XII are available, while those for Group C and Group D posts are expected to be released soon.

Push for accountability

While the previous administration had issued notifications regarding the court’s orders, the recovery process had not been implemented. The latest developments indicate that administrative momentum has picked up following the change in government.

The twin measures—salary recovery and public access to examination records—are being seen as key steps toward resolving a prolonged legal impasse and restoring accountability in the state’s teacher recruitment system.

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