West Bengal Recruitment scam: SC allows Class 9-12 ‘untainted’ teachers to continue to teach but sets deadline

The Supreme Court said on Thursday (April 17) that Assistant Teachers of Classes 9 to 12 in West Bengal, whose appointments were cancelled due to the irregularities in the 2016 recruitment process, can continue to teach.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna clarified that the relief is only for the teachers whose appointments were “untainted”.

The Supreme Court said that they can continue till fresh appointments are made to the posts.

The Supreme Court took its decision while noting that the students undergoing studies should not suffer on account of the order passed by the court following the irregularities in the entire recruitment process in 2016.

Conditions apply...

The Supreme Court's order on Thursday put forth a condition. It said the teachers may continue until the fresh selection process is completed.

The Supreme Court  directed the State of West Bengal and the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) to complete the fresh recruitment process for the posts of Assistant Teachers of Classes 9 and 10, and 11 and 12 by December 31, 2025.

A bench comprising CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar directed the State and the SSC to publish the advertisements for the fresh recruitment process by May 31, 2025, Live Law reported.

The Supreme Court also directed that the exams and the entire recruitment process should be completed by December 31, 2025.

The West Bengal government and the SSC were directed to file an affidavit before May 31, 2025, producing the advertisement.

"If there is a default, the present order will get vacated," the court warned.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court declined to grant such relief to Group C and Group D employees, whose appointments were cancelled, “as the number of tainted candidates in the said classes is substantially high.”

What is West Bengal Recruitment scam?

The West Bengal SSC 'scam' case stemmed from the alleged irregularities in the 2016 recruitment process conducted by the West Bengal SSC, in which 23 lakh candidates appeared for 24,640 posts and a total of 25,753 appointment letters were issued.

The Supreme Court had called it a "systemic fraud".

On April 3, the Supreme Court upheld a 2024 Calcutta High Court judgment annulling the recruitment of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staffers appointed through the 2016 SSC recruitment drive, terming the entire selection process "vitiated and tainted".

The court had said the tainted candidates should refund their “salaries/payments received.

The Supreme Court's ruling on Thursday, April 17, may now come as a brief relief.

(With inputs from agencies)