The Calcutta High Court order cancelling appointments made after the recruitment test in 2016 prompted the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) to move the Supreme Court (SC) challenging the HC verdict.
“The court has nullified around 25,000 plus jobs and we will approach the Supreme Court, challenging the verdict after going through the complete HC order,” Siddhartha Majumder, chairman WBSSC told reporters while reacting to the order of the HC in the city on Monday.
Earlier in the day, the HC ordered cancellation of all the appointments of teachers, Group C and D employees made through the recruitment process of the State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in state government-sponsored and aided schools in the city and districts, declaring it as “null and void”.
The Bench also directed the SSC to initiate a fresh recruitment process.
“We will go through the 300-page order… discuss and understand the legal aspects,” Majumder said in a press conference.
“Many people were working in schools. But all appointments have been cancelled. We will challenge it in the apex court,” Mr Majumder said, adding, “WBSSC did never appoint anyone in a supernumerary post, which is under investigation. ‘Physical Education’ and Work Education’ in the supernumerary post were not under the investigation. Appointments of 1,280 candidates in these two categories were made,” the WBSSC chief claimed.
“The CBI is conducting a prolonged inquiry for more than about one-and-a-half years to probe the recruitment process. The agency had suspected some alleged irregularities in connection with appointments of around 5,000 out of 25,000 plus candidates. But what are the charges against the 19,000 candidates whose appointments have also been cancelled as per the HC order,” Mr Majumder said.
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) will also move the SC against the HC order.