The Calcutta High Court has made a significant decision by cancelling the appointments of more than 36,000 teachers in West Bengal. The appointments were made in 2016 without following proper procedures, resulting in a recruitment scam known as the school jobs for cash scam. The judge in charge of the case, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, referred to the corruption as "stinking rats."
According to the judge, all 36,000 candidates who were untrained at the time of recruitment have had their appointments cancelled. The State attempted to raise contentions on law points but failed to counter the allegations of corruption. The judge refused to let the corruption be protected in the name of preserving the law, as it would be against the soul of the constitution and the constitutional conscience.
The Court was informed that thousands of untrained candidates were appointed in the recruitment process despite scoring less in the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) and other assessments. This judgement is a reminder of the importance of following due procedures in recruitment and of the serious consequences that come with corrupt practices.
The Calcutta High Court has delivered a major blow to the West Bengal Education Board by cancelling the appointments of over 36,000 teachers who were recruited in 2016 without following the due process. The case, known as the school jobs for cash scam, was heard by single-judge Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay. The judge found serious irregularities in the recruitment process and refused to accept the State's arguments based on technicalities of the law. Instead, he emphasized the importance of delivering justice and upholding the constitutional conscience. The Court cancelled the appointments of all 36,000 untrained candidates who were given extra marks or maximum marks in aptitude tests conducted only on paper. The judge noted that no selection committee was constituted for the purpose of selecting eligible candidates and instead it was done by one outside agency, a third party which was not a part of the Education Board. The Court observed that the Board conducted the whole affair like a local club, with no regard for the rules of recruitment. The judge also noted that jobs for primary school teachers were sold to some candidates who had the money to purchase the same by paying bribes. This corruption of unprecedented magnitude was a crime against society and a fraud where the Board and its former Chairman were well aware of the rules of recruitment but chose to ignore them. The Board has been ordered to immediately arrange for a recruitment exercise for candidates, who were untrained at the time of recruitment, within three months from the date, only for the candidates who participated in the 2016 recruitment process. The whole interview process has to be videographed carefully and preserved.
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TAGS: Keywords: Calcutta High Court cancelled appointments 36 000 teachers 2016 due procedure recruitments scam primary teachers corruption West Bengal selection committee untrained candidates Teachers Eligibility Test aptitude tests third party Recruitment Rules illegal recruitment Education Board former President Manik Bhattacharya arrest Enforcement Directorate ED bribery corruption Education Minister middleman CBI unemployed youths fraud videographed interview process Petitioners Union of India.
