Supreme Court Upholds Calcutta HC Order, Cancels 25,753 WB Teacher Appointments Over Fraud

The apex court bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna ruled that the entire selection process conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) in 2016 was “vitiated by manipulation and fraud.”

In a major setback to the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision to cancel 25,753 teacher and non-teaching staff appointments in state-run and state-aided schools.

The apex court ruled that the entire selection process conducted by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) in 2016 was “vitiated by manipulation and fraud.”

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar stated that widespread irregularities, including tampering with OMR sheets and rank manipulation, had rendered the recruitment invalid. The court directed the termination of all affected employees but allowed them to retain salaries received so far.

Massive Recruitment Irregularities

The case revolves around the 2016 SSC recruitment, where 23 lakh candidates competed for 24,640 vacancies, yet 25,753 appointment letters were issued. The Calcutta High Court had flagged irregularities, leading to its April 2024 order annulling the appointments and directing fresh recruitment within 15 days. The state government’s appeal against this ruling was rejected by the Supreme Court.

The apex court directed the state to complete a new selection process within three months. It also allowed relaxation for untainted candidates and persons with disabilities.

Political Fallout and CBI Probe

The ruling comes as a severe blow to the Trinamool Congress government, which had pushed for segregating valid and invalid appointments instead of scrapping the entire process. Several TMC leaders, including former education minister Partha Chatterjee, are under investigation for their alleged involvement in the recruitment scam.

With the Supreme Court dismissing its appeal, the West Bengal government now faces the challenge of conducting fresh recruitment while addressing the administrative and political turmoil triggered by the verdict.

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