A division bench of Calcutta High Court granted a 12-week stay on the single-bench order that cancelled the appointments of 313 teachers in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area.

The stay was granted on Wednesday by a division bench comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Biswaroop Chowdhury at the Jalpaiguri circuit bench of the high court.

The court also directed affidavits be filed within four weeks of January 5, 2026, the circuit bench's next sitting, by all parties involved — petitioners, the state government, the GTA and representatives of the 313 teachers — on whatever information they have on the case.

The affected hill teachers expressed relief over the division bench's order.

The case relates to allegations that the 2019 recruitment process of the 313 teachers in the GTA region was illegal. A petition was filed in the high court challenging the appointments. On December 17, the matter was heard by Justice Biswajit Basu of the single bench, who, after hearing both sides, ordered that the teachers' services be terminated.

Challenging the verdict, the teachers approached the high court division bench, with the GTA also joining as a party.

The matter was heard on Tuesday at the Jalpaiguri circuit bench, where arguments from the state government, the GTA, teachers’ representatives and the petitioner were heard for nearly an hour. The court reserved its order for Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning, many teachers from the hills gathered outside the circuit bench premises on Station Road in Jalpaiguri. The division bench's order came around noon.

GTA counsel Regen Lama said the court was of the view that removing 313 teachers at once could have a serious adverse impact on the hill education system.

Dolma Lama, a teacher from Gairibas High School, said: “All of us were appointed by following government rules. A conspiracy has been created against us. We are happy with today’s (Wednesday's) court order.”

The case will be taken up for further hearing after the submission of affidavits, said sources.

Anit Thapa, the chief executive of the GTA, who has been backing the 313 teachers, welcomed Wednesday's order. “I was also worried about your (teachers') salaries,” Thapa said.