Darjeeling, May 15: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha today demanded that the 44 empanelled School Service Commission (SSC) candidates who recently received a high court order in their favour should be immediately allowed to join work in schools across the hills.

The candidates had passed the SSC examination in 2000, but Subash Ghisingh, who headed the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council at that time, had blocked their appointment, claiming that hill schools were minority institutions. The SSC cannot appoint teachers for such schools. The vacancies in the hill schools were filled up by ad-hoc teachers.

“We demand that the 44 candidates be appointed immediately. The Bengal government should also regularise the services of the ad-hoc teachers as soon as possible,” said Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha.

Ever since Calcutta High Court passed a ruling on September 7, 2007 in favour of the 44 SSC empanelled candidates, the ad-hoc teachers have been fearing for their jobs. They have claimed that of the 44 seats sanctioned for the SSC candidates, 35 are currently filled by ad-hoc teachers.