West Bengal Teachers Rally for Justice After Supreme Court Annulment

West Bengal's Chief Secretary Manoj Pant engaged with school teachers, whose appointments were nullified by the Supreme Court, to address demands for a clear distinction between 'tainted' and 'untainted' candidates. Protesters also sought publication of exam data and reinstatement of jobs for impacted educators.

Amid growing tensions, West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant held talks on Monday with school teachers affected by the Supreme Court's annulment of their appointments. The meeting in Kolkata's state secretariat aimed to address pressing demands from these educators, whose jobs hang in the balance.

A key demand from the teachers, part of the forum 'Joggya Sikkhak Sikkhika Adhikar Mancha', was for the publication of a detailed list distinguishing 'tainted' from 'untainted' candidates by the end of the day. This request reflects their ongoing struggle against a selection process deemed compromised by the country's highest court.

Protests have intensified, with teachers urging the state to release Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets from the 2016 exam and reinstate their roles without conditions, following the annulment of 26,000 educational positions. Although Monday's discussions provided a platform for dialogue, the path forward remains uncertain.

(With inputs from agencies.)