The terminated schoolteachers who have been protesting outside Bikash Bhavan since May 7 on Tuesday wrote to the education minister’s office seeking a dialogue with Bratya Basu on ending the impasse.

A copy of the letter was sent to chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s office.

“With due respect we, the 19,000 untainted teachers of non-teaching staff of 2016 SLST (State Level Selection Test) panel are sitting in front of Bikash Bhavan with great concern regarding our job which has been terminated by the unfortunate verdict of the Supreme Court. Since 12th April 2025, no government official has met us to discuss about our concerns regarding the declaration of notification of fresh examination and review petition and legal proceedings,” the letter said.

“The fear of uncertainty about our future is escalating to the level of depression among the protesting teachers which may have led to the agitation on May 15. The agitation was an expression of fear and anxiety related to the uncertain future that is looming. We Sir, from our behalf, would like to request you for an appointment to discuss the following issues at a time of your convenience.”

The points the teachers want to discuss with the education minister include the status and contents of the review petition in the Supreme Court, the notification of the fresh exam by the school service commission, and if the review plea is rejected what other avenues were available for them to be able to continue in their jobs.

“We have been protesting outside Bikash Bhavan since May 7, but have yet to hear anything from the state government. Today, we are seeking an audience with the education minister. We would be highly obliged if the minister comes forward and helps resolve the stalemate,” said Dhitish Mandal, one of the protesting teachers who drafted the letter.

The letter was written on behalf of the Deserving Teachers’ Rights Forum.

Minister Basu said in a text message: “Let me first get the letter. Then I will comment.”

The letter was written a day after the chief minister appealed to the protesting teachers not to cross the “Lakshman Rekha” and block roads in the name of protests.

Asked what prompted them to approach the government, which they accused of beating them up by unleashing police on them on May 15, Dhitish said: “The education minister on Monday said in a news conference that he was not aware of what the teachers were protesting about. He also said he did not know what our demands were. Therefore, we have decided to have a dialogue with him.”

Siege probe

Hours before writing the letter, 13 of the 15 teachers who had been summoned to Bidhannagar (North) police station for allegedly participating in or inciting violence at Bikash Bhavan on May 15, said they would appear before the cops on Wednesday.

Mehboob Mandal, one of the 15 teachers who received the summons, said they would appear before the police on a day when Calcutta High Court is expected to hear a prayer filed by the protesters seeking action against officers of Bidhannagar (North) police station for alleged excesses on teachers at Bikash Bhavan last week.

Of the 15, two turned up at the police station on Monday to face interrogation, after which they were allowed to leave.

Mehboob said they would go to the police station with their lawyers.

“We expect that the court will hear our prayer on Wednesday and pass orders against the police excesses,” he said.

Mehboob said they would move court if the SSC comes up with a recruitment notification that will require teachers “not specifically found tainted” to write a fresh selection test to retain their jobs.

The teachers are refusing to write a fresh test, saying they had been recruited fairly. They want the government to find a way for them to be reinstated without writing a fresh test.

The sit-in started on May 7, and the protesting teachers attempted to storm Bikash Bhavan, the education secretariat, on May 15.

“We don’t know when the petitions filed by the state government and the SSC seeking review of the Supreme Court’s April 3 order terminating the jobs of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff will be heard. If the April 3 order is not reviewed soon, then the government will concentrate on implementing the court’s April 17 order to issue a notification on holding a fresh recruitment exercise and submit an affidavit to this effect by May 31. We are opposed to this,” said a protesting teacher.

He is among the 15,403 teachers “not specifically found tainted” who have been allowed to return to school till December with salaries.

If they are to continue their jobs beyond December 31, 2025, they have to take part in the fresh recruitment process with age relaxation relief, the Supreme Court’s April 17 order, which modified its April 3 order, said.

Minister Basu on Monday said if the state government did not follow the court’s April 17 order, it would be contempt of court.

Sources in the SSC said it is unlikely that the review petition would be heard before May 24, when the summer vacation for the apex court starts.

“We are ready to publish the fresh recruitment notification by May 29. We are waiting for the vacancy list from the school education department. We have to give an affidavit announcing the details of the steps initiated before the Supreme Court by May 31,” said a source in the SSC.