West Bengal school recruitment: Supreme Court stays Calcutta HC order cancelling 24,000 jobs

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the Calcutta High Court's order cancelling 25,000 teaching and non-teaching posts in state-run and state-aided schools of West Bengal.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was hearing a number of petitions that were filed to challenge the Calcutta HC’s April 22 decision that invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in state-run and state-aided schools of West Bengal.

Today's decision came as a relief for thousands of teachers whose jobs were in jeopardy. 

Meanwhile, the apex court allowed CBI to continue its investigation into the scam. But asked the agency not to take any coercive steps against candidates or government officials.

Terming the alleged recruitment scam in West Bengal “systemic fraud”,  the bench said: “The public job is so scarce…. Nothing remains if the faith of the public goes. This is systemic fraud. Public jobs are extremely scarce today and are looked at for social mobility. What remains in the system if their appointments are also maligned? People will lose faith, how do you countenance this?” 

The bench said that if the taint against nearly 8,000 teachers investigated by CBI is finally approved, in that event, the order of the high court will apply to them and they will have to refund their salaries.