In a significant development for aspiring teachers in West Bengal, the Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) to permit candidates from its 2016 waiting list to appear in fresh interviews for secondary and higher secondary teacher positions. The order was passed by a single-judge bench headed by Justice Amrita Sinha.
The court specified that only those 2016 waiting-list candidates who were previously disqualified from participating in interviews due to the age criterion would be eligible for this opportunity. Additionally, only candidates who had actively approached the Calcutta High Court seeking a chance to participate in the fresh recruitment process will be allowed.
Justice Sinha also instructed the WBSSC to submit the marks obtained by these candidates in sealed envelopes to the court. The bench further sought the Commission’s opinion on whether the upcoming interviews would be video-recorded to ensure transparency and fairness.
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The fresh recruitment follows the Supreme Court upholding a Calcutta High Court order that cancelled the WBSSC’s entire 2016 panel of around 26,000 school jobs due to allegations of widespread corruption, including monetary payments for appointments. This decision necessitated a new recruitment drive for secondary and higher secondary teachers.
Earlier this year, the WBSSC conducted written examinations for the fresh recruitment, and results were recently declared, followed by the publication of candidates qualifying for interviews. Waiting-list candidates from the 2016 panel argued that disqualification solely on age grounds would be inequitable, especially given the fresh recruitment exercise.
With this order, the Calcutta High Court has given a clear path for eligible 2016 waiting-list candidates to participate in the recruitment process. The WBSSC is expected to follow the court directives closely, ensuring a fair and transparent interview process for all qualified aspirants.
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