Clash Erupts Amid SSC Teachers' Protest in Kolkata

A violent clash occurred between protesting SSC teachers and police in Kolkata, following massive job losses linked to the tainted SSC recruitment process. The Supreme Court intervened, allowing teachers to work until December 2025, while fresh recruitment starts this year to resolve the issue.

A violent confrontation erupted outside Kolkata's Bikash Bhawan as protesting SSC teachers clashed with police. The police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the sprawling crowd when the situation escalated. At the heart of the unrest is the dismissal of over 26,000 teachers amid a controversial SSC recruitment case.

The turmoil follows a Supreme Court ruling that the entire SSC appointment process was flawed. Responding to the verdict, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured that the issue would be addressed within a year, reassuring teachers whose jobs were impacted by the court's decision.

In a significant reprieve, the Supreme Court allowed untainted teachers to continue their roles until December 2025, pending a fresh selection process. Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna led the bench in reinforcing that this relief is specifically for untainted appointments, urging the West Bengal government to initiate new recruitment processes by year-end.

(With inputs from agencies.)