SSC SLST Case: Good News! Candidates with 45% Marks Can Now Sit for the Teacher Recruitment Exam, Know the Supreme Court’s Verdict

SSC SLST Case: Finally, a sigh of relief. The Supreme Court has delivered a landmark verdict in the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) SLST case. This ruling directly benefits the in-service teachers who were appointed in 2016 with 45% marks but were unable to participate in the 2025 recruitment process due to new regulations. This judgment is not just the resolution of a case but a significant step towards securing the future of thousands of teachers.

What was the core issue of the case?

The case originated from a new guideline issued by the NCTE (National Council for Teacher Education). According to this guideline, a minimum of 50% marks was made mandatory to be eligible for the teacher recruitment examination. As a result, those who were appointed through the 2016 SLST with 45% marks could not apply for the new recruitment process in 2025. Despite being in service, they were deprived of the opportunity to appear in future examinations. The petitioners approached the Supreme Court with this issue. The case was heard in the bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar, and the verdict came in favor of the job aspirants.

The Historic Verdict of the Supreme Court

In its verdict, the Supreme Court has given an important directive to the School Service Commission (SSC). Let’s take a look at the key points of the verdict:

• Special Application Window: The court has directed the SSC to open a special one-week application window for these “untainted candidates” (the teachers appointed in 2016).
• Exemption from the 50% Rule: The biggest relief is that the NCTE’s 50% marks rule will not be applicable to these applicants. They can apply for the new examination with their old qualification, i.e., 45% marks.
• Examination Schedule: The petitioners had requested a postponement of the examination, citing a shortage of time and the festive season. Although the court did not directly issue any order to change the examination date, the judge has indicated that the SSC may make minor changes to the examination schedule if it deems necessary.

The Impact and Future Possibilities of this Verdict

This Supreme Court verdict is undoubtedly a huge victory for a group of teachers. Those who were in extreme uncertainty about their future will now get a new opportunity to sit for the examination. However, this verdict has also given rise to some new questions. For instance, will this exemption of 45% marks be extended to new job aspirants? If not, the possibility of new legal complications cannot be ruled out.

For now, this verdict has given the working teachers extra morale to continue their preparations. Thousands of job aspirants are now looking forward to when the SSC will reopen the portal and what the final examination dates will be. This verdict proves that it is possible to reclaim one’s rights through legal battles.