Bengal is permitted by the Supreme Court to keep "untainted" teachers till new candidates are chosen

The Supreme Court has given a partial reprieve to the West Bengal government and hundreds of assistant teachers caught up in the school jobs-for-cash scam, allowing ‘untainted’ teachers to continue working until a new recruitment process is completed—but not without strict conditions.

Key Developments:

1. Relief for Unimplicated Teachers:
   The court said that teachers not involved in the scam and free of irregularities could retain their jobs temporarily, despite the annulment of their appointments earlier this month.

2. Deadline for Fresh Recruitment:
   The West Bengal government must publish a fresh recruitment advertisement by May 31, 2025.

   • Failing this, the court warned it would issue appropriate orders, including the imposition of costs.

   • The entire selection process must conclude by December 31, 2025.

3. Backdrop of the Scam:

   • Originating from the 2016 recruitment drive, the scam saw 25,753 appointment letters issued, exceeding the 24,640 advertised posts.

   • Over 23 lakh candidates had applied.

   • Investigations uncovered tampering with OMR sheets, rank manipulation, and illegal selections.

4. Supreme Court’s Stand on April 3:

   • It upheld the Calcutta High Court’s cancellation of the 25,753 appointments.

   • However, in May 2023, it temporarily stayed the termination to avoid immediate disruption while allowing the CBI investigation to continue.

5. Recruitment Must Be Clean:
   The Supreme Court emphasized that the new selection must be transparent and merit-based, serving justice both to aggrieved candidates and honest appointees.

What Happens Next?

• The WBSSC must issue a new job notification by May 31.

• A fresh round of exams and selections must be completed by year-end.

• Teachers not involved in any irregularities can continue teaching until then, though their future depends on the outcome of the new recruitment.

• The CBI continues to investigate those involved in manipulating the previous process.

This ruling attempts to balance accountability for corruption with fairness to innocent teachers, while nudging the state towards a clean and lawful hiring process.