The West Bengal government is apparently contemplating a review petition in the Supreme Court after the apex court, upholding the view of the Calcutta High Court, dismissed 25,000 odd teachers and non-teaching staff who had been recruited to government-aided schools through a process that was marked by irregularities. A section of job losers who were found to be untainted may press for a reassessment of the judgment as well. These developments have followed the passing of the apex court’s order which led to the mass sacking that has been justified by the country’s highest court because the process of selection, in its view, had been comprised beyond resolution. Only those against whom there were no charges of malpractice have been permitted to appear for the next round of recruitment tests. However, the School Service Commission, which has been directed by the state government to begin the recruitment process, wants clarifications from the Supreme Court before proceeding with the task. Other challenges have emerged too. The functioning of schools has been severely affected on account of the paucity of staff. There is also a human side to the issue — untainted school teachers are staring at an uncertain future; a teacher who lost her job attempted suicide; there have been reports of teachers recruited from other batches being subjected to searching questions. The political implications have been obvious. Bengal’s Opposition, principally the Bharatiya Janata Party, would like to corner the ruling Trinamool Congress on corruption charges a year before Bengal goes to polls. The TMC is attempting to minimise the damage by working out the means to provide relief to the constituency adversely affected.
This chain of events underlines the diverse and complex consequences that an embedded culture of corruption can have. The chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, had, in light of the verdict, expressed her “personal” inability to accept the judgment. There is no point in blaming the Supreme Court: the fault lies in the institutional and political complicity that led to manipulation as well as a cover-up. The principles of merit and impartiality were sacrificed at the altar of corruption under Ms Banerjee’s watch. She will do well to clean the Augean stables before her party faces its next electoral test.