Calcutta HC to decide fate of 32,000 primary teachers in West Bengal
The Calcutta High Court is set to begin hearing on May 7 the case of cancellation of 32,000 appointments in an alleged state primary teacher recruitment scam.
In 2014, about 1.25 lakh candidates had passed the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for primary teachers. The West Bengal Board of Primary Education then began their recruitment process in 2016. Of those who passed the TET, 42,949 were provided jobs. It was alleged that out of those 42,949 candidates, 32,000 were 'untrained' — allegedly employed without proper interviews or aptitude tests, among other 'irregularities'.
Uncertainty around the future of the primary teachers has heightened after the Supreme Court recently invalidated the West Bengal School Service Commission's appointment of 25,753 teachers and staffers, calling the entire selection process 'vitiated and tainted' on April 3.
In May 2023, 32,000 primary teachers were dismissed on the orders of then Calcutta HC Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay. The state approached a division bench challenging that verdict. The bench of Justice Subrata Talukdar and Justice Supratim Bhattacharya had then stayed the order.
The case was then referred to the Supreme Court, before it was transferred to the division bench of Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Uday Kumar of the Calcutta High Court. However, Justice Sen recused himself from the case, as a result of which, the case went to Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam.
Later, it was stated that the hearing of the case would be held by the division bench of Justice Tapobrata Chakraborty and Justice Ritabrata Kumar Mitra. This bench observed on Monday that since the Calcutta HC might not have enough time for the several petitioners and hence several lawyers arguing the case, it would be better for one lawyer to represent all of them. The bench has asked the parties to submit written statements in this regard.
The petitioners' counsel submitted in the court, 'We have been working for the last eight years. We were recruited in 2016. In 2022, the case was filed. In May 2023, the single bench had cancelled the jobs and had asked for new recruitments.'
The division bench observed, 'You all should sit together and then make a submission. Which paperbooks have all the information?'
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