The protesting teachers are among 25,753 teachers and other staffers whose appointments were invalidated following a 2024 Calcutta High Court ruling over irregularities in the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) examinations through which they were recruited. The order was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court in 2025, according to a PTI report.
Members of the Deserving Teachers' Forum organised a procession from Karunamoyee Crossing in Salt Lake, adjacent to Kolkata, before gathering outside Bikash Bhavan. Despite heavy rain, the protesters continued their demonstration, holding placards and raising slogans.
The protesters are seeking an early resolution to the recruitment process for eligible candidates whose appointments were cancelled.
"We demand an audience with School Education Minister Dipak Barman and intervention from Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on the issue," Deserving Teachers' Forum member Subrata Biswas told PTI.
The Supreme Court has set May 30, 2027, as the deadline for the state to conduct the recruitment test for candidates affected by the cancellation of the 2016 SSC appointments.
A sizeable police contingent was deployed at the protest site as the teachers staged their sit-in on the road outside Bikash Bhavan.
Biswas also said the protesters expected the BJP, which had previously expressed support for the jobless teachers during the earlier TMC government, to back their demand and help ensure that the recruitment of eligible candidates is conducted transparently and at the earliest.
The demonstration comes amid continued uncertainty among the affected teachers, who are seeking an opportunity to re-enter the school education system through a fresh and transparent recruitment process.
About The Author
Comment List