Are Contempt Notices Issued to Bengal Education Officials Over WBSSC Job Notifications?
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Synopsis
Contempt notices have been issued to four officials from the West Bengal education department due to their failure to adhere to Supreme Court rulings regarding teacher job vacancies. This includes issues related to recruitment processes and recovery of salaries from those hired through unethical means.
Key Takeaways
- Contempt notices issued to officials highlight legal accountability.
- Supreme Court's ruling impacts teacher recruitment in West Bengal.
- Significant implications for educational integrity.
- Focus on recovering salaries from improperly hired staff.
- Legal challenges continue with pending review petitions.
Kolkata, June 3 (NationPress) An attorney affiliated with the Calcutta High Court issued contempt-of-court notices to four officials from the state education department on Tuesday. This was in response to a notification from the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) last month regarding the recruitment of teachers for state-operated schools. This recruitment comes after the Supreme Court's decision to annul 25,753 school jobs.
The notices were directed towards the secretary of the state school education department, the departmental commissioner, the chairman of the WBSSC, and the president of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).
The issued notices highlight that the state education department not only disregarded the apex court's mandates concerning new recruitments but also failed to initiate the process of recovering salaries from those identified as “tainted”—those who secured positions through dubious means after monetary transactions.
This legal action follows a public interest litigation (PIL) filed earlier that day by a different petitioner at a single-judge vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court challenging the aforementioned notification.
The primary argument against the notification was that the weightage criteria for distributing total marks had shifted from those established in 2016, which had previously been annulled by both a division bench of the Calcutta High Court last year and a subsequent division bench of the Supreme Court in April.
According to the petitioner, these adjustments in weightage criteria violate the Supreme Court's instructions regarding new recruitments.
On April 3 of this year, the Supreme Court's division bench, led by former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, upheld a prior decision from the Calcutta High Court to annul 25,753 school jobs in West Bengal.
The Apex Court also supported the Calcutta High Court's observation that the complete panel of 25,753 candidates should be scrapped due to the state government's and commission's inability to differentiate between “untainted” and “tainted” candidates.
Both the state government and the WBSSC have already submitted review petitions to the Apex Court regarding this matter.
Point of View
I emphasize the necessity for accountability in the education sector. The issuance of contempt notices reflects the judicial system's commitment to uphold fairness and integrity in recruitment processes, ensuring that only deserving candidates are appointed, thus maintaining trust in our educational institutions.
NationPress
23/10/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the contempt-of-court notices about?
The notices concern the failure of four education department officials to comply with Supreme Court directives regarding teacher recruitment and salary recovery for improperly hired staff.
Why were 25,753 school jobs cancelled?
These jobs were annulled due to the inability to differentiate between 'tainted' candidates who obtained jobs through unethical means and 'untainted' candidates.
What actions are being taken by the state government?
The state government and WBSSC have filed review petitions with the Supreme Court regarding the cancellation of these jobs.
