Qualified but "untainted" teachers, whose appointments were cancelled following the annulment of the 2016 West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) panel, continue their protests across the state. On the other hand, after the police action last week, the state has also taken legal actions against several protesters.
In response to what has been described as a “barbaric” police assault and to demand the immediate reinstatement of the affected teachers, students from government colleges and universities across West Bengal observed a statewide strike called by the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) on Monday.
The student protests began early in the day, with gate picketing outside educational institutions across the state. In Kolkata, students carrying banners and placards gathered in front of Jadavpur University, Calcutta University, Presidency University, and various other colleges.
West Midnapore, West Bengal: Teacher says, "...Teachers and staff recruited after the 2016 West Bengal SSC exam. About 19,000 antiquated teachers and non-teaching staff are being unfairly punished without proper process..." pic.twitter.com/PfYjyG7VYw
— IANS (@ians_india) May 19, 2025
Rather than enforcing the strike, protesters encouraged their peers to join in solidarity with the teachers who were allegedly assaulted by the police.
Meanwhile, following the escalation last week in front of Bikash Bhawan, the headquarters of the West Bengal school education department where the police and protesting teachers clashed, legal actions have been taken against the protesters.
17 teachers have been summoned to appear at Bidhannagar North Police Station on May 21. Authorities have warned that failure to comply could result in arrests. According to police, these individuals are being investigated for vandalism, destruction of government property, and obstruction of public servants.
Commenting on the situation, Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday urged the protesting teachers to remain peaceful and avoid any form of violence. Speaking to the media at Kolkata airport before departing for Delhi, Banerjee expressed his full confidence in the judicial process and mentioned that the state has filed a review petition in the matter. He voiced hope for a resolution.
“I’ve seen some footage, including videos showing gates being broken,” said Banerjee, who is also the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “I don’t intend to belittle the protest of the job aspirants—I lack such arrogance. But protests should never turn aggressive or violent.”
