NOB – West Bengal news: The Calcutta High Court on 22.04.2024 gave a shock to around 24 thousand teachers and non-teachers who were appointed in 2016 in West Bengal by cancelling their jobs.It declared that the selection process followed for appointments in government and aided schools was illegal and cancelled the appointments of those who got the jobs.All those teachers were ordered to return their salaries with 12 percent interest within six weeks. Soma Das, who was suffering from cancer, was given an exemption and allowed to continue his job.Also, it has been clarified to the Bengal School Service Commission that the process of appointment of new teachers should be carried out within 15 days. To this extent, the High Court Bench consisting of Justice Debangsu Basak and Mohammad Shabbar Rashidi gave the verdict.

About 24,000 jobs belonging to teachers of classes 9, 10, 11, 12 along with group C, D have been cancelled by the court verdict. The West Bengal School Service Commission has conducted the state level selection test in 2016 to fill 24,640 vacant teacher posts. But the unemployed people hit the road alleging that there were irregularities in the selection of candidates. The High Court has started the investigation on the order of the Supreme Court. The CBI has been ordered to investigate the scam allegations. The CBI, which entered the field, arrested the Education Minister Partha Chatterjee in 2022 along with some officials who worked in the Bengal School Service Commission for their role in this scam. Arpita Mukherjee, who is the main accomplice of Partha Chatterjee, has been seized by the CBI and Rs. 21 crore in cash and Jewelery worth over crores was recovered. The High Court has recently directed the CBI to continue its investigation in this case and submit its report within 3 months.