Supreme Court Extends Services for Unblemished West Bengal Teachers Amid Recruitment Scandal

The Supreme Court extended until December 31 the services of untainted teachers terminated amid a recruitment scandal in West Bengal. The decision, affecting appointments deemed tainted, allows teaching continuity while fresh recruitment efforts are underway. Protests erupted following the initial verdict that annulled 25,753 appointments due to systemic fraud.

In a significant move, the Supreme Court has extended the services of untainted teachers in West Bengal until December 31, responding to the needs of schools following the annulment of mass teacher appointments. These extensions come amidst the fallout of a recruitment scandal.

The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, acknowledged the state's concerns that terminating teachers harmed educational efforts. The state had appealed following a ruling that labeled the selection process as 'vitiated and tainted.'

This extension applies only to assistant teachers for specific classes, requiring fresh recruitment to be advertised by May 31 and completed by year's end. Meanwhile, unrest followed the verdict, which requires affected candidates to refund their earnings as the probe into the alleged systemic fraud continues.

(With inputs from agencies.)