Supreme Court to Decide Fate of Controversial West Bengal Teacher Appointments

The Supreme Court is reviewing whether to cancel the selection process for 25,753 teaching and non-teaching positions in West Bengal schools or only invalidate specific wrongful appointments. The Calcutta High Court previously annulled these appointments, flagging irregularities in the 2016 recruitment process, prompting a state challenge.

The Supreme Court is grappling with whether to cancel the entire recruitment process of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching positions in West Bengal or to pinpoint and address specific wrongful appointments. This issue arose from the Calcutta High Court's decision to annul these appointments due to identified irregularities.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, with Justice Sanjay Kumar, is addressing 118 petitions related to the matter, highlighting the gravity and complexity of the case. The court acknowledged the time constraints that prevented hearings but scheduled further consideration for December 19.

The focus is on whether the flawed appointments can be segregated from valid ones, avoiding a blanket cancellation of the entire recruitment process. The top court noted this matter as 'systemic fraud' and emphasized the criticality of maintaining public trust in government appointments.

(With inputs from agencies.)