The school service commission (SSC) has informed the state government in a report that it has so far appointed around 3,500 assistant teachers against 12,524 vacancies at the higher secondary level in government-aided schools.

The report also states that the commission has yet to begin interviews to shortlist candidates for the recruitment of 23,514 secondary-level teachers.

Earlier this week, the government held a meeting with various boards and recruitment agencies, including the SSC, to review the status of recruitment processes and related issues.

The Supreme Court had directed that the recruitment of assistant teachers at the secondary and higher secondary levels in government-aided schools be completed by the end of August.

An SSC official said both counselling and interviews had to be put on hold because the education department has yet to provide updated vacancy figures.

SSC chairperson Siddhartha Majumdar resigned late on Monday after the state government “immediately terminated” the tenures of nominated heads of education boards and recruitment agencies appointed during the Mamata Banerjee government.

“We are awaiting the appointment of a chairperson,” said an SSC official.

Another SSC official said interviews and counselling for candidates who had cleared the selection test held in September began in January for the appointment of teachers at the Plus II level.

The recruitment process for the secondary level was to start from June. However, it had to be stalled for the elections.

An SSC official expressed concern about whether the August 31 deadline could
be met.

The recruitment process had to be initiated because the Supreme Court terminated the jobs of 17,209 teachers last April due to “illegalities” in the 2016 recruitment process.

Many believe the large-scale loss of jobs in an industry-starved state was one of the key factors behind the widespread disenchantment with the government led by Mamata Banerjee.

A fresh teacher recruitment process was launched in 2025 after a gap of nine years, but that exercise too has run into hurdles.

Several candidates recommended for HS-level posts are still awaiting jobs due to
alleged discrepancies in the education department’s vacancy lists.