WBSSC to Conduct Fresh Exams After Supreme Court Scraps 2016 Teacher Appointments

Over 22 Lakh Candidates Affected as Commission Seeks Legal Clarification on Fresh Eligibility​

Kolkata, April 4 — The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) announced on Friday that it will comply with the Supreme Court's directive to initiate fresh recruitment exams for teaching and non-teaching posts. This comes a day after the apex court invalidated the 2016 recruitment process, resulting in the annulment of 25,752 appointmentsin state-run and state-aided schools.

Addressing the media, WBSSC Chairman Siddhartha Majumdar said the Commission is preparing to restart the selection process but will first seek legal guidance regarding candidate eligibility.

“The Supreme Court has asked us to conduct fresh exams. We will now seek legal advice to determine whether new candidates can also apply,” said Majumdar.

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Breakdown of the 2016 Exam Figures​

According to WBSSC data:

• 26 lakh candidates applied for the 2016 exams.
• 22 lakh appeared for the tests.
• Of them, 1.41 lakh were aspirants for Classes 9-10, while about 1.5 lakh applied for Classes 11-12 teaching posts.
• The remainder were for non-teaching roles in Groups C and D.

Majumdar emphasized the complexity and scale of the process, stating:

“There is no mention of a three-month deadline in the court order. Given the volume, we are unlikely to complete this within three months.”

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He added that recommendations will be made to the school education department, but further details are currently under wraps.

Supreme Court's Rebuke and Impact​

The Supreme Court's scathing judgment held WBSSC accountable for failing to address irregularities in the recruitment process. It upheld the Calcutta High Court’s findings of 17 counts of illegalities, criticizing the Commission for "intentionally" concealing lapses.

As a direct consequence:

• 12,905 teachers from Classes 9 and 10 lost their jobs.
• 5,712 teachers from Classes 11 and 12 were also affected.
• The rest of the job terminations impacted non-teaching staff.

On Commission's Defense​

Responding to criticism that WBSSC failed to distinguish between legitimate and tainted candidates before the court, Majumdar said:

“We had submitted those figures via sworn affidavits. However, we could not satisfy the court with our data.”

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The WBSSC is expected to announce detailed exam timelines once legal consultations are concluded.