A section of the sacked but “untainted” school teachers, whom the Supreme Court allowed to continue in service till August 31 and permitted to participate in the fresh recruitment process, has appealed to the BJP government to ensure that their salaries continue beyond August.
The teachers expressed concern that the fresh recruitment exercise may not be completed before the Supreme Court’s August 31 deadline, raising uncertainty over their salaries and service status thereafter.
The appeal made on behalf of the teachers’ forum says: “We want the state government to return our jobs in accordance with the law. We also want the state government to take steps so that our salaries are not discontinued after August. We request you to take necessary legal recourse to ensure this”.
The members of the forum said they recently submitted the plea to the education department and the school service commission (SSC).
Of the 17,209 teachers whose appointments were annulled by the Supreme Court last April over irregularities in the recruitment process, 15,403 were classified by the SSC as “terminated but untainted” in compliance with a directive of the apex court.
The apex court had directed the state government to allow these teachers to continue in service with salaries until August 31 and to permit them to participate in a fresh recruitment process to retain their jobs.
Rakesh Alam, one of the 15,403 candidates, said that with only three months left before the deadline, recommendations have been issued for just 3,500 higher secondary-level posts against 12,514 vacancies.
Many of the recommended candidates have yet to get their letters of appointment from the state secondary education board.
Interviews and counselling to screen teachers for the 25,314 secondary-level posts have not even started.
The erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government had held selection tests in September last year to shortlist candidates.
The teachers said they suspected that the impasse was linked to the BJP government’s revised OBC reservation policy, which reduced the OBC quota from 17% to 7%.
“The TMC government had started the recruitment process with a 17% OBC reservation. However, the BJP government reintroduced a 7% quota and revoked all previous orders. This has triggered the stalemate,” said Alam, who is awaiting an interview call at the secondary level.
“In such a scenario, we suspect that the recruitments cannot be completed by August. So we have appealed to the state government to ensure that we continue to get salaries beyond August and till the time we retain our jobs,” he said.
Metro reported on May 29 that recommendation letters issued by the SSC in mid-
February for the Plus II level would remain valid for 90 days.
The candidates did not get the appointment letters from the state secondary education board within the validity period.
The SSC has sought legal opinion on whether the decision to reduce the quota from 17% to 7% will apply to the ongoing teacher recruitment process.
Sangita Saha, one of the 15,403 untainted teachers who has been recommended afresh by the SSC, said she had yet to get the letter of appointment.
“We want the state government to approach the Supreme Court seeking an extension of the deadline for completing the recruitment process. Such an extension would also ensure that we continue to receive our salaries,” said Saha, a computer application teacher at a school in East Midnapore.
Sources in the SSC said a decision on whether the new OBC reservation norms would apply to the ongoing recruitment process, and on whether the Supreme Court would be approached for an extension of the deadline, would be taken after the new education minister assumes office.
“Of the 35 ministers sworn in on Monday, one is expected to be awarded the education portfolio,” an official said.