Bengal has earned “infamy” because of multiple recruitment scams under the previous Trinamool Congress government, and efforts must be made to restore the state’s image, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Saturday while addressing a central government Rozgar Mela programme.

Speaking at the event organised to distribute appointment letters to newly recruited candidates as part of a nationwide drive, Adhikari said the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court had to intervene in the alleged irregularities, which tarnished Bengal’s reputation.

"We have to bring our dear West Bengal out of this situation," the chief minister said.

He said the state, once known for its strong educational standards and intellectual legacy, had gained "infamy" because of the school jobs and municipal recruitment scams.

"Even the examination centres were tainted in such a manner that Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway and Northeast Frontier Railway were not holding their recruitment examinations in the state," he said.

According to Adhikari, many youths from Bengal had to travel to neighbouring Bihar, Assam and Odisha to appear for recruitment examinations.

Highlighting the impact of the alleged irregularities, he said parents educate their children with hopes of securing stable careers, but those aspirations were damaged by recruitment-related corruption during the TMC regime.