WB government to start fresh recruitment as well as push for review petition before SC simultaneously, says Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses a press conference, Kolkata on May 27, 2025. | Photo Credit: ANI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday (May 27, 2025) said that her government will start a fresh recruitment process for teachers as per a Supreme Court order, while simultaneously pursuing a review petition seeking the reinstatement of over 25,000 teachers who lost their jobs following the apex court’s decision.

The Supreme Court, on April 3, 2025, had upheld an earlier order of the Calcutta High Court cancelling en bloc a “tainted” selection process, which had led to the appointments of over 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff in government and aided schools across the State. This development triggered a wave of protests over the past two months, with employees who lost their appointments demanding that the State government file a review petition, and insisting that they will not participate in any fresh recruitment process.

Emphasising that the Supreme Court had directed the State to initiate fresh recruitment by May 31, 2025, the Ms. Banerjee announced that the notification for this will be issued on May 30. “The process of the review petition [before the Supreme Court] and fresh appointments will continue simultaneously,” Ms. Banerjee said at the State Secretariat.

The Chief Minister also announced an age relaxation for teachers to apply for the fresh recruitment process. “Those who lost their jobs will be allowed to sit for the exam even if they have crossed the usual age limit. They will also receive the benefit of their experience,” she said.

Ms. Banerjee explained that those who run the government have to abide by the law and the Constitution, and if “we do something outside the purview of law, the Court can take a contrary view.”

“We have filed a review petition, but the Supreme Court is on summer vacation. In the review petition, we have stated that nobody should lose their jobs and their appointments should not be cancelled... If the review petition is accepted, the teachers will be exempted from appearing in the examination. The Supreme Court has clearly said that since the panel is cancelled, an affidavit of compliance regarding the issue of advertisement by May 31, 2025, is to be filed,” she explained.

The Supreme Court had on April 17 provided interim relief, stating that teachers whose appointments were cancelled could continue to render their services until the completion of a fresh selection process or until December 31, 2025, whichever is earlier, in the interest of students. The West Bengal government has decided to continue paying salaries to these teachers and non-teaching staff until then.

Ms. Banerjee said that the fresh notification for recruitment will be made on May 30, with the online application process running from June 15 to July 14. The entire process is expected to be completed by November 2025. While about 25,000 vacancies were created by the Court’s order, the total number of vacancies that the State government will attempt to fill through the fresh recruitment process in State-run schools stands at 44,203, the Chief Minister added.

Protesting teachers who lost their appointments following the Supreme Court order expressed disappointment over Ms. Banerjee’s announcement. “What the Chief Minister announced today sounded like a death knell to us. The government is pushing towards an examination and not focusing on the review before the Supreme Court,” said Brindaban Ghosh, one of the protesting teachers.

The teachers, who have been camping outside Bikash Bhawan (West Bengal Board of Secondary Education headquarters) for the past 20 days, said they feel let down by both the courts and the West Bengal government.

Published - May 28, 2025 01:30 am IST