SSC Teacher: Hope for Dismissed Teachers: West Bengal Begins Reinstatement Process
SSC Teacher: There is a ray of hope for the teachers who lost their jobs in the 2016 SSC (School Service Commission) corruption case. The state government, through the Education Department, has initiated the process to reinstate these teachers into their old government jobs. This step has brought a new opportunity for all those teachers who had applied to get their previous jobs back.
The Reinstatement Process and Current Status
According to sources in the Education Department, clearance has already been given to 20 individuals to return to their old departments, such as Home, Power, and Disaster Management. Formal letters have also been sent to these departments to facilitate their re-joining. Approximately 4,500 dismissed teachers have applied to get their old government jobs back, and the state government is currently reviewing these applications.
As per the Supreme Court’s directive, the government must take action on the applications of “eligible” dismissed teachers within three months of submission. However, many eligible teachers have expressed anxiety after receiving no response even three months after applying. They fear that this process might be further delayed.
Teachers’ Concerns and Demands
While there is relief at the news of getting their jobs back, some concerns are also present among the teachers. Many teachers fear that after reinstatement, they might be transferred to locations far from their homes. This has become a major cause for concern for them.
On the other hand, the Bangiya Shikshak O Shikshakarmi Samiti (Bengal Teachers and Education Workers’ Association) has appealed to the Education Department to complete the reinstatement process quickly and to ensure teachers are posted in convenient locations. The general secretary of the association, Swapan Mondal, stated that they do not want deserving candidates at the bottom of the merit list to be deprived.
Government Action and Transparency
The School Education Department has collected all information regarding the applicants’ previous employment, such as their joining details in schools through the 2016 SLST (State Level Selection Test), salary, and transfer history, from various districts. All this information has been sent to the state’s Advocate General, and the next steps will be taken after receiving his green signal. This process is crucial for maintaining transparency.
Although the dismissed teachers are temporarily relieved by this state action, questions about their future postings and the transparency of the process remain. It now remains to be seen how the state government will handle these issues in the coming days.
