A petition was moved in the Calcutta High Court on Monday, November 17, to question how candidates whose selections after the 2016 West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) exam were found “tainted”, could appear for the exam in 2025 — the WBSSC’s first recruitment exam in almost nine years, according to a report by The Indian Express.

The counsel for the petitioner, Firdous Shamim, submitted before the court that although the Supreme Court had ordered that no “tainted” candidates should sit for the examination, “some tainted candidates have still sat for it.” He further submitted that the list included candidates claiming teaching experience “despite being born in 1997”.

Shamim said, “Several tainted candidates are seen in the interview list. We also see that primary teachers and Health Department workers got 10 marks for experience. There are several anomalies.”

Second plea alleges unequal award of experience marks

In a separate plea filed before the same single bench of Justice Amrita Sinha, another petitioner alleged that while some part-time teachers had been awarded marks based on experience, he had not received any such marks. The petitioner’s counsel Tarunjyoti Tiwari submitted, “The petitioner is a part-time teacher, and his colleagues have been given the marks. The petitioner has been deprived.”

Justice Amrita Sinha allowed both petitions to be filed. The matters will be heard on November 19.

Protests outside Bikash Bhawan as candidates claim merit ignored

Meanwhile, examination candidates held a protest on Monday, attempting to reach Bikash Bhawan in Salt Lake, but they were stopped by the police. Many first-time examinees alleged that they had secured full marks yet had not received interview calls.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, Aneesh Sarkar said, “We have requested them to hold a peaceful rally as they have not taken any permission. We have requested them to get their deputation team; we will help them reach out to the agencies. We have no problem if they want to give a deputation, but there is BNS 163 enforced around Bikash Bhawan, so not more than five people will be allowed.”

On Saturday, the WBSSC released a list of over 20,000 candidates shortlisted for interviews for assistant teacher posts at the higher secondary level (classes 11 and 12) in government-aided schools. This was based on the 2025 exam results.

According to the Commission, the interviewees’ list was prepared on the basis of the written test (60 marks), academic scores (10 marks based on postgraduate results), and teaching experience (10 marks), applicable to in-service teachers who appeared for the selection test held on September 14. A senior Commission official said the interview schedule would be announced in due course, and document verification for shortlisted candidates is likely to begin on November 18.

In April this year, the Supreme Court ordered the termination of jobs of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff in government-aided secondary and higher secondary schools, calling the 2016 recruitment process of the WBSSC “tainted”.