Despite a glimmer of hope from the Supreme Court, thousands of teachers and staff affected by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment scam are still grappling with anxiety and uncertainty.
On April 11, the apex court upheld a Calcutta High Court decision to cancel over 25,000 school appointments made through the tainted 2016 selection process. However, on April 17, the court allowed a partial relief: India Today reported that “untainted” assistant teachers for Classes IX to XII could continue in service until the state completes a fresh selection process.
The West Bengal government has been directed to publish a new recruitment advertisement by May 31 and wrap up the selection process by December 31. Those ineligible — particularly many Group C and D staff — have not received similar relief, according to India Today.
The ripple effects of the scam have been deeply personal for those involved. Kuheli Gonra, an English teacher at Mirikpur Gunodhar Balika Vidyalaya in East Midnapore, is one of many who have been protesting since April 9 at Kolkata’s Esplanade Y-channel.
“If the court asks us, we will return to school. But does that return my honour? I am still expected to write a test to prove my merit,” she told The Telegraph.
Gonra, a single mother who taught Classes IX and X, is unsure how to plan her future. “If by December 31, the recruitment is not completed or I don’t get selected, where will I go? It’s cruel to people like us,” she said, explaining how she’s responsible for her daughter and ageing mother.
Another protestor, Arpita Pramanik, who taught Geography at Kathalberia Harakumar Vidyaniketan in Nadia, said she had waited years to qualify and start teaching, only to now face the possibility of losing everything.
“We are expected to join school. That means we now have to teach, take regular classes, correct answer scripts and then also prepare for an exam,” she said.
Pramanik, a postgraduate in Geography from Krishnanagar Government College, completed her Bachelor of Education in 2013 and was hired following the 2016 selection test. But today, burdened with a Rs 7 lakh loan and a Rs 16,000 EMI, she feels cornered.
Unlike teachers, non-teaching staff like Satyajit Dhar have not received any respite. Dhar, a BTech graduate in Computer Science who left a railway job for a Group C role at Madarpur Subhas High School, was rendered jobless on April 3.
“If a school cannot function without teachers, it cannot function without us, either,” said Dhar, who managed student records, uploaded marks, and oversaw welfare scheme implementation. The family’s sole breadwinner, he now worries about Rs 12,000 in monthly medical expenses for his parents — his mother suffered a stroke and his father has Parkinson’s.
As The Telegraph noted, many affected staff at the protest site were still reluctant to speak, devastated by the sudden turn of events and unclear on what the future holds. While the court’s decision may provide a temporary framework, for many, the underlying insecurity remains unresolved.
