In a crucial announcement aimed at addressing the fallout of the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday declared that the state government will issue a fresh teacher recruitment notification by May 31, in compliance with a recent Supreme Court directive.
The move comes amid sustained protests across the state by thousands of affected teaching and non-teaching staff whose appointments were cancelled following the apex court’s ruling on irregularities in the recruitment process.
Relief for Terminated Teachers: Age Relaxation and Experience Count
Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Banerjee assured that teachers who lost their jobs due to the court verdict will be eligible to reapply, with significant relaxations in the recruitment criteria.
“We want those who lost their jobs to get justice. The new notification will allow them to appear for the examination even if they have crossed the age limit. Their previous teaching experience will also be taken into account,” she said.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the government remains committed to ensuring transparency, fairness, and justice in the upcoming recruitment drive.
Parallel Legal Efforts Underway
Banerjee also informed that the state government will be filing a review petition in the Supreme Court, seeking reconsideration of the cancellation of the appointments. However, the recruitment notification process will proceed simultaneously to adhere to the court’s timeline.
“While we respect the Supreme Court’s order, we will pursue a review petition as we believe many of the affected candidates deserve reinstatement,” Banerjee said.
Protestors React: “A Temporary Relief, Not a Solution
Despite the announcement, protestors at multiple sit-in demonstrations across Kolkata and districts like North 24 Parganas, Hooghly, and Nadia expressed mixed feelings.
“The Chief Minister’s announcement gives us hope, but we are not satisfied until there’s clarity on reinstatement. Many of us have families and responsibilities. Sitting for another exam after years of service isn’t easy,” said one former teacher protesting near Bikash Bhavan.
Some protestors, however, welcomed the move as a positive first step, noting the inclusion of age relaxation and experience as a fair concession. Demonstrations are expected to continue until a clear resolution or court response to the review petition emerges.
Opposition Parties Slam the Government
Opposition parties were quick to respond, criticising the Mamata Banerjee-led government for what they called “delayed and damage-control tactics.”
BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya called the announcement a “knee-jerk reaction under public pressure” and said the government is “now paying the price for its years of recruitment corruption.”
CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty accused the Trinamool Congress of misleading job aspirants. “If the government had ensured fair recruitment from the beginning, these teachers wouldn’t have been on the streets. Now, they are simply buying time with vague assurances,” Chakraborty said.
What Happens Next?
The official recruitment notification is expected to be published by May 31, as per the Supreme Court directive. The eligibility conditions, exam structure, and timeline will be detailed in the notification.
While the state government juggles legal appeals and administrative action, the spotlight remains on how fairly and efficiently the recruitment process unfolds and whether it will truly restore justice to thousands of lives disrupted by one of the state’s most high-profile recruitment scandals.
