Will WBSSC Announce Fresh Recruitments on May 30?

Kolkata, May 27 (NationPress) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee revealed on Tuesday that the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) will issue a notification for new recruitments to fill vacant positions in both teaching and non-teaching roles on May 30. She emphasized that even the ‘untainted’ educators who lost their positions due to a Supreme Court ruling in the cash-for-job scandal must take the written test for these recruitments.

On April 3, a Supreme Court Bench upheld a prior decision made by the Calcutta High Court, which invalidated 25,753 school appointments conducted by the WBSSC. The court also mandated the state government to initiate a new recruitment process by issuing notifications or advertisements by May 31.

Despite the teachers who secured their jobs without any financial transactions insisting on not attending a new written examination, the Chief Minister clarified that following the Supreme Court’s ruling, they have no choice but to participate in the test.

“We filed a review petition with the Supreme Court because we aimed to protect everyone’s jobs. The review process is still ongoing, and with the court's summer vacation approaching, we are constrained in our actions.

“We must issue the notification in compliance with the apex court’s directive. Concurrently, we will be pursuing the review petition. Both actions will proceed simultaneously.

“If the review petition yields a favorable outcome, we will respond accordingly,” the Chief Minister stated at a press conference on Tuesday.

She also pointed out that in addition to the vacancies created by the cancellation of jobs following the Supreme Court ruling last month, further openings for teaching and non-teaching staff will also be filled during the new recruitment process.

“A total of 44,203 vacant posts across both categories will be addressed through this new recruitment initiative,” Chief Minister Banerjee announced.

She confirmed that the notification will be released on May 30, with applicants able to submit online applications from June 16 to July 14.

“The panel will be published on November 15, with the counselling process commencing on November 20. The entire recruitment schedule will conclude by December 31, in accordance with the Supreme Court's order,” Chief Minister Banerjee mentioned, adding that her government cannot be blamed for the job losses following the Supreme Court’s decision.

“Certain vested interests and selfish individuals orchestrated this situation. They are now attempting to present themselves as allies of those who lost their jobs. We must await the review petition results. However, all candidates will need to participate in the examination to secure employment. This is a clear mandate from the Supreme Court,” Chief Minister Banerjee commented.

Nevertheless, she did not address the demands from the honest teachers for immediate publication of lists separating the ‘untainted’ candidates from the ‘tainted’ ones who gained employment through monetary means.

Notably, on April 3, while sustaining the earlier ruling from the Calcutta High Court that annulled 25,753 school appointments made via the WBSSC, the Supreme Court concurred with the High Court’s observation that the entire panel had to be dismantled due to the authorities' inability to differentiate between ‘tainted’ and ‘untainted’ candidates.