WBSSC Recruitment Case: Mamata Banerjee Unveils Compensation for Job-Loss Affected Non-Teaching Staff

Synopsis

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has announced a monthly stipend for non-teaching staff in Group C and D of state-run schools who lost their jobs due to a Supreme Court ruling. The Rs 20,000 stipend will continue until legal matters are resolved, reflecting a commitment to humanitarian aid.

Key Takeaways

Compensation of Rs 20,000 monthly for affected non-teaching staff.
Legal issues will be addressed through a review petition.
Supreme Court's decision led to the cancellation of over 25,000 jobs.
Efforts to distinguish genuine candidates from corrupt practices were inadequate.
The decision aims to support affected workers in a humanitarian manner.

Kolkata, April 26 (NationPress) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a compensation scheme for non-teaching personnel in Group C and Group D of state-run schools who have lost their positions due to a recent Supreme Court ruling. These staff members will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 20,000 from the state treasury until the legal issues surrounding the case are settled, the Chief Minister informed reporters.

“The state administration will file a review petition with the Supreme Court regarding its decision that annulled 25,753 teaching and non-teaching positions in West Bengal's state schools. Until the legal proceedings about this petition are ongoing, the non-teaching staff will receive a monthly compensation of Rs 20,000,” Banerjee stated.

Earlier this month, a division bench of the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, upheld the Calcutta High Court's decision to cancel the entire panel established by the West Bengal Staff Selection Commission (WBSSC) in 2016 concerning 25,753 teaching and non-teaching roles.

The apex court endorsed the Calcutta High Court's remark that the entire panel needed cancellation due to the state government's and WBSSC's inability to distinguish between genuine candidates and those who had secured jobs through corrupt practices.

On Saturday, Mamata Banerjee emphasized that the decision to provide monthly compensation stems from a humanitarian perspective while adhering to the Supreme Court's ruling.

“Similar to how the state government compensates workers from the closed Dunlop India Limited factory, a monthly stipend will also be granted to Group C and Group D non-teaching staff members who have lost their jobs. The education department of the state will not be involved in this decision,” she added.