Is the WBSSC's List of Tainted Candidates Complete?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- WBSSC's list of tainted candidates is under scrutiny.
- Experts believe actual numbers could exceed 6,000.
- Four categories of tainted candidates exist.
- Concerns of concealment and manipulation are prominent.
- Legal battles continue to unfold.
Kolkata, Sep 2 (NationPress) The West Bengal School Service Commission's (WBSSC) recently published list of tainted candidates related to the school jobs scandal is reportedly incomplete, with legal experts suggesting that additional names could emerge soon.
These experts argue that the disclosed figure of just 1,806 tainted candidates, shared by the commission last week, seems more like an effort to obfuscate than to clarify.
Former Calcutta High Court judge and BJP Lok Sabha member from Tamluk, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who has been involved in various cases concerning the extensive cash-for-school jobs issue in the state, believes the actual count of tainted candidates is likely to be at least 6,000.
He asserts that the low figure of 1,806 cannot be accurate, as candidates from four distinct categories secured their positions through dubious means.
The first category includes those who landed jobs without ever sitting for the written exam.
The second category comprises individuals who submitted blank answer sheets during the exam.
The third category consists of candidates whose optical mark recognition (OMR) sheets were manipulated to artificially boost their scores. The final category involves those who were hired from expired panels.
Gangopadhyay argues that when all tainted candidates across these categories are totaled, the figure will exceed 6,000.
Senior advocate and CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member, Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya, who has been actively involved in related legal challenges, agrees with Gangopadhyay's assessment. He states, "Based on my extensive experience with similar cases, I believe the actual number of tainted candidates is likely to be at least 6,000, if not more. It appears that the state government and the commission are primarily focused on protecting as many tainted individuals as possible, employing various strategies to achieve this, including the recent publication of just 1,806 names."