West Bengal: Calcutta HC cancels recruitment of 36,000 teachers due to corruption

The Calcutta High Court has ordered the cancellation of the appointments of approximately 36,000 candidates who were untrained at the time of their recruitment as primary teachers in West Bengal government-sponsored and -aided schools.

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhay made the observation while approving the order that the state of West Bengal had never experienced "corruption of this magnitude."

"The appointment of all 36,000 (more or less) candidates who were untrained at the time of recruitment in 2016 recruitment process conducted by the Board in the post of primary teachers are cancelled," Justice Gangopadhyay directed.

Gangopadhay, in the 17-page order uploaded to the high court's site after 11 pm, said that the claim that there was no aptitude test has been demonstrated before him from the proof of the candidates and the interviewers.

From the gross lawlessness in the determination system in the enrollment exercise of 2016 led by the West Bengal Leading group of Essential Training, it is clear that the board and its authorities including its previous president Manik Bhattacharya, who is currently in custody after his arrest by the Requirement Directorate for the supposed exchange of huge money in the recruitment procedure, led the "whole affair like that of a local club". 

The court ordered that the West Bengal Board of Primary Education immediately organise a recruitment exercise for candidates who took part in the 2016 appointment process within three months. The exercise will also include candidates who have acquired training credentials in the interim.

The court coordinated that in the activity, both the meeting and fitness trial, everything being equal, will be taken and the entire screening must be videographed cautiously and saved.

The recruitment process will follow the same rules and legal procedures as the 2016 recruitment process, according to Justice Gangopadhyay's order.

No new or additional candidates will be permitted to participate in the recruitment process, according to the court.

Justice Gangopadhyay ordered that primary teachers who were hired in primary schools despite the Board's recommendation during the 2016 selection process will be paid the same as a para teacher for a period of four months starting on this date.

The court said that if any of these teachers are recommended by the board again after the selection process, they will work in the schools where they are currently employed, where they will receive a fictitious benefit of their seniority but no monetary benefit, and they will not receive a primary teacher's salary for the next four months.

The court coordinated that services of the presently employed candidates who won't succeed in the selection process will be "terminated." That's what he expressed assuming any competitor who showed up in the 2016 enrollment process has crossed the age bar meanwhile or will cross the age bar in the span of 90 days from the date, will be permitted to participate in the enlistment exercise.

Justice Gangopadhyay stated, "Crossing the age bar now will not create any impediment for them to participate and get selected in the recruitment process."

Expressing that the board set some judgment before him on the side of the comforts of lawful standards, the judge said that he finds that these have no relevance even with the "magnitude of stinking corruption in the recruitment exercise of 2016 conducted by the Board". 140 petitioners who participated in the 2016 recruitment process and were qualified for the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) but did not receive an appointment filed the writ application.

During the recruitment process, approximately 42,500 candidates were chosen, including approximately 6,500 trained candidates.

The court noted that the recruitment process was conducted by the West Bengal Board of Primary Education in accordance with the 2016 West Bengal Board of Primary School Teachers Recruitment Rules.

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