SSC recruitment row: Political blame game in West Bengal as future of 25k candidates hangs in balance

A war of words prevailed between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP on Monday after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met jobless teachers and non-teaching staff affected by last week's Supreme Court verdict upholding the Calcutta High Court ruling which cancelled the entire 2016 West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment panel.

During her meeting at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, CM Banerjee assured those affected by the recent job cancellations that she wouldn’t let anyone lose their jobs. She announced that the state government would approach the Supreme Court to seek a review.

If the court fails to offer a solution, she promised that the government would arrange an alternative system within the framework of the law to ensure that deserving candidates are not denied employment. “There is a conspiracy to dismantle the education system. As long as I am alive, I will not let the jobs of deserving candidates be taken away. That's my promise and my challenge," she said, adding them to stop worrying as the government has not stopped anyone from working.

The chief minister urged the affected individuals to continue offering voluntary services in schools, reassuring them that their contributions would not go unnoticed. She emphasised that her first priority would be to resolve the issues faced by the qualified candidates.

Meanwhile, soon after CM Banerjee’s address, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) moved to the Supreme Court, requesting a review of the verdict. Their appeal seeks to allow the eligible candidates to retain their jobs at least until the current academic session concludes or a new recruitment process is completed.

In their meeting with the chief minister, a representative of affected candidates presented an eight-point charter of demands, appealing for the state government's support and intervention. Among their demands is that the state government must file a review petition in the Supreme Court with accurate facts and documentation, though it cannot be submitted before the same bench that delivered the original verdict.

Until the review process is completed, no termination letters should be issued, and all affected individuals must be retained in service. During this period, no fresh recruitment notifications should be announced, as the terminated candidates are not in favour of undergoing a new examination process.

The review petition must be based on a clean and separate list of qualified candidates, clearly distinguishing them from those deemed unqualified. Additionally, the OMR sheets or answer scripts, specifically their mirror images, of all eligible teachers and staff must be made public. 

Expressing their dissatisfaction with the legal representation so far, the dismissed candidates have requested the state to appoint competent lawyers to defend their cases effectively. They have also called for an all-party meeting, noting that opposition parties have shown solidarity with their cause. The candidates also questioned the investigation of the CBI and asked on what basis then the Supreme Court cancelled everyone's job.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari attacked the chief minister, saying that her government was responsible for over 25,500 job losses. He challenged CM Banerjee to present a detailed list separating the qualified candidates from the unqualified.

“You are saying that only the deserving candidates have passed and been appointed. Then, based on your own words, I urge you to submit the list of those qualified candidates to the court. That alone will separate truth from falsehood.” LoP Adhikari said during an interaction with the media outside the assembly.

A section of candidates who lost jobs met with the leader of the opposition on Monday, seeking legal support. Assuring them of support, he said that the BJP MLA would donate a month’s salary to pay for their legal fees. He also asked them to not offer voluntary services in schools as requested by CM Banerjee.

“Do not offer voluntary service. You are not civic teachers,” LoP Adhikari said. “The list of qualified candidates must be submitted to the Supreme Court by April 15. If that doesn’t happen, on April 21, one lakh people without party flags will march towards Nabanna. If invited, I will also go. We’ll hold a demonstration, and if that means going to jail, so be it.”

BJP MP Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India, alleging that recent remarks and questions raised by CM Banerjee amount to an insult to the judiciary. The Purulia MP has urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance of the matter, claiming that the CM's comments were aimed at shielding the "unqualified" and covering up the education recruitment scam by undermining the judicial process.

CPI(M) West Bengal secretary Mohammed Saim also blamed the chief minister for the current situation. “Today the Chief Minister claims she knew nothing. But in every administrative meeting across districts, she used to proudly declare that all information comes directly to her,” Selim said.