Kolkata: Over 100 teaching job aspirants gathered for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, protesting their exclusion from an interview list for state-run schools. The protests occurred near the state education department headquarters, Bikash Bhavan, and the School Service Commission (SSC) office in Salt Lake. Aspirants demanded immediate job interviews following a new recruitment process that overlooked many qualified candidates.
This widespread discontent stems from a Supreme Court order issued in April. The court invalidated the SSC’s 2016 recruitment panel, leading to the annulment of nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching positions. The Supreme Court ruled the 2016 selection process was “tainted” by irregularities, necessitating a fresh recruitment drive across state-run and state-aided institutions.
Following the Supreme Court’s directive, the SSC conducted a new recruitment examination on September 14 . The goal was to fill vacant positions for classes 11 and 12. Subsequently, on November 15 , the SSC published a list of 20,500 candidates eligible for interviews. However, many candidates who performed well in the written examination were absent from this list, fueling the current protests.
Protesters Demand Interviews
Chinmoy Mondal, spokesperson for the ‘Deserving Teachers Rights Forum,’ led a significant rally from Karunamoyee bus stand to Bikash Bhavan. Police intervened, stopping the protestors and detaining them in vehicles. Mondal himself was categorized as an “untainted” teacher from the 2016 panel. He had qualified in the recent written examination but did not receive an interview call.
Mondal voiced the protestors’ dismay, referencing prior commitments. “The chief minister had assured ‘untainted’ teachers not to lose heart. She spoke of ‘Plan A, B or C’ for teachers who secured jobs by merit in the 2016 SSC test,” Mondal stated. “She promised government action. We sought to meet the education minister, but police are removing us.” The term “untainted” applies to candidates whose involvement in the 2016 irregularities was not proven.
Simultaneously, another group of candidates protested near the SSC headquarters, located approximately one kilometer from Bikash Bhavan. These were first-time exam takers who had qualified in their written tests but were not called for interviews. They claimed high scores yet faced exclusion. Police also dispersed this group, preventing their attempted sit-in.
Allegations of Discrimination
Debjani Barik, a protesting first-time candidate, highlighted alleged unfairness in the selection process. “We demand an audience with the Chief Minister or Education Minister to understand our non-selection for interviews,” Barik said. “We want to know why some ‘tainted’ teachers were called for interview and reportedly given 10 extra marks. We scored 100 percent in the written test and still experience discrimination.”
An SSC official provided clarity on the scoring methodology for interview shortlisting. The list of candidates called for verification was prepared based on specific guidelines. These guidelines award 10 marks for prior teaching job experience. The interview component itself contributes 20 marks to the total score.
Government Response and Next Steps
Education Minister Bratya Basu addressed the ongoing recruitment process. He emphasized that the SSC is conducting these tests under the strict monitoring of the Supreme Court. “The rules cannot be changed,” Basu affirmed. He also indicated that the chief minister and the education department would consider increasing the number of vacancies and posts. This would occur after expert discussions and a thorough examination of legal aspects.
Adding a new development to the controversy, the Calcutta High Court is scheduled to hear a plea challenging the recently published interview list on November 19 . This legal challenge underscores the continued disputes surrounding the West Bengal SSC recruitment process.