Shahin Akhtar
The Calcutta High Court has dismissed an appeal by the West Bengal government and the West Bengal Central School Service Commission (WBCSSC). The appeal challenged a single-judge order that barred candidates who had used fraudulent means to obtain jobs in the past from participating in the fresh recruitment process for assistant teachers.
A Division Bench of Justices Soumen Sen and Smita Das De rejected the petitions, upholding Justice Saugata Bhattacharya’s order of July 7, 2025. The Court had earlier cancelled the 2016 recruitment process due to suspected fraud, and the State had initiated a fresh recruitment process.
The term ‘tainted candidates’ refers to those who had used unfair means to secure jobs during the earlier recruitment process. The single-judge had ruled that such candidates should be excluded from the current recruitment process. The State government and WBCSSC argued that these candidates had already been punished and should not be barred from earning a livelihood.
However, the Division Bench agreed with the single-judge’s order, dismissing the appeal on July 10, 2025. This decision means that only candidates who had not engaged in fraudulent activities during the earlier recruitment process will be eligible to apply for the assistant teacher positions.
The Court’s decision aims to maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and ensure that deserving candidates are selected based on merit. The ruling also underscores the importance of fairness and transparency in public appointments.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts to clean up the recruitment process in West Bengal’s school sector. The Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court had previously taken cognisance of the alleged irregularities in the 2016 recruitment process, leading to its cancellation.
It remains to be seen how the State government and WBCSSC will implement this decision and ensure that the recruitment process is conducted in a fair and transparent manner.
Case Name: Sanjoy Kumar Doloi & Anr. Vs. The State of West Bengal & Ors.
Case Number: W.P.A. 12505 of 2025
Bench: Hon’ble Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya
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