Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she was exploring ways to re-employ the teachers identified as “tainted” in the 2016 recruitment irregularities, possibly in non-teaching positions, as the state prepares for fresh teacher selection tests.
Speaking at a Teachers’ Day felicitation programme at Dhanadhanyo auditorium in Alipore, Mamata expressed sympathy for the job losses that have affected thousands of educators.
“So many teachers have lost their jobs. Do you think I feel good about it? No,” she said, addressing a gathering of school, college and university teachers on the eve of Teachers’ Day.
The recruitment crisis stems from Supreme Court orders that terminated 25,753 teaching and non-teaching positions in April due to irregularities in the 2016 hiring process. Last Saturday, a total of 1,806 teachers were identified as “tainted” by the School Service Commission (SSC) and barred from participating in the fresh recruitment drive ordered by the apex court.
The “tainted” teachers are accused of securing jobs through irregularities, including submitting blank answer sheets and the manipulation of marks. Many are reportedly relatives of leaders from both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP.
New selection tests will be held on September 7 for secondary-level teachers, followed by higher secondary- level tests on September 14.
Mamata on Thursday said the SSC has advertised recruitment for 35,726 posts at the secondary and higher secondary levels.
“About 21,000 posts will still remain vacant. Legal issues come in the way of filling the posts. There are people who approach the court seeking a stay on the recruitment. And the process is stayed,” the chief minister said. Teacher recruitment is resuming after a nine-year gap.
The chief minister outlined her strategy for addressing the crisis:
Immediate priority: Recruitment of 15,403 “untainted” teachers who will receive age relaxations and experience credits. “We have decided to award marks for their experience so they can get recruited following the order of the court,” she said.
Next phase: Legal consultation on employing the 1,806 “tainted” teachers in alternative roles. “Probably, they can’t be appointed as teachers because of the court order. But we will see if they can be appointed at Group C or equivalent level, with legal approval,” the chief minister said.
Final phase: Recruitment for Group C and Group D positions after completing teacher appointments.
Political implications
The recruitment freeze carries significant political weight in job-starved Bengal, where schools serve as major employers. With the Assembly elections approaching, the chief minister would be aware of that.
“I will tell all not to feel disheartened because ours is a humanitarian government. We don’t see it politically, we consider it on humanitarian grounds,” she said.
This marks the second time Mamata has addressed displaced teachers’ concerns, having previously met with affected educators at Netaji Indoor Stadium in April.
The chief minister also highlighted the success of her government’s Kanyashree scheme in reducing dropout rates among girl students during the Teachers’ Day event.
