In a significant setback to the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the Calcutta High Court’s ruling that annulled the appointments of 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff recruited by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016. The case pertains to the alleged school jobs-for-cash scam.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice P.V. Sanjiv Kumar declined to overturn the High Court’s decision, citing fraudulent practices that tainted the entire selection process.
Supreme Court’s Observations
“We have examined the facts of the case. The entire selection process stands vitiated by manipulation and fraud, thereby eroding its credibility and legitimacy. There is no justification for interference. Candidates who secured appointments through fraudulent means must be removed, as their appointments were the result of deception,” the court stated in its verdict, as reported by Bar & Bench.
However, the bench clarified that individuals who had already received salaries under these appointments would not be required to return the amounts paid to them. Additionally, the court directed that a fresh recruitment process be completed within three months.
“The new selection process may include relaxations for candidates who were not involved in any irregularities,” the court added.
The Bengal School Jobs-for-Cash Scam
The case pertains to allegations of large-scale irregularities in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal’s primary and secondary schools during the 2016 selection process.
That year, more than 2.3 million candidates appeared for examinations to fill 25,000 vacancies. However, subsequent complaints alleged that several candidates were unfairly appointed due to the improper evaluation of answer sheets.
In April 2023, the Calcutta High Court nullified all such appointments, highlighting a lack of clarity regarding the evaluation process for the 2.3 million answer sheets. The court also mandated a re-evaluation of the recruitment process and ordered the return of salaries paid to affected employees. Additionally, the High Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a probe into the matter.
With the Supreme Court’s verdict reinforcing the High Court’s findings, the state government now faces the challenge of ensuring a transparent and fair recruitment process within the stipulated timeframe.
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