The recent Supreme Court order cancelling appointments made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) has sent shockwaves through the education system of West Bengal, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressing concern over its humanitarian implications. The cancellation of 25,753 appointments is a significant blow to the state's education sector.
The controversy began in 2016 when the Calcutta High Court annulled the appointments of 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff due to an alleged school jobs-for-cash scam. In November 2021, the Calcutta High Court ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into irregularities in the recruitment of Group-D non-teaching staff.
The CBI submitted its first report in September 2022, confirming irregularities in the recruitment process. West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested in July 2022 on charges related to his involvement in the school job case. The Supreme Court's decision is a major setback for the Mamata Banerjee government, which had been accused of mishandling the recruitment process.
Chief Minister Banerjee has warned that the cancellation of appointments will likely have far-reaching consequences for students and schools in West Bengal, with the education system at risk if not addressed quickly.