Primary Teachers Job: Calcutta HC Saves 32000 Primary Teachers Job Abhijit Gangopadhyay Questions Verdict
Primary Teachers Job: In a significant turn of events regarding the West Bengal education recruitment scam, the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court has delivered a historic verdict. The court has overturned the previous order given by former Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, thereby saving the jobs of approximately 32,000 primary teachers. This judgment brings immense relief to thousands of families who were facing uncertainty.
However, former Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who is currently a BJP MP from Tamluk, has openly questioned the rationale behind this new verdict, drawing sharp comparisons with the SSC recruitment case.
Observation of the Division Bench
The case reached the Division Bench challenging the order of Justice Gangopadhyay’s single bench. On Wednesday, the Division Bench made it clear that the jobs of these 32,000 teachers would remain valid. The court highlighted several critical humanitarian and legal aspects in its observation:
- Length of Service: The court noted that these teachers have been in service from 2016 to 2025, which is nearly 9 years. Terminating their employment after such a long period would have a devastating negative impact on them and their families.
- Clean Service Record: The court observed that there were no specific complaints against these teachers during their tenure of service.
- Holistic View: The Bench opined that the entire recruitment process cannot be jeopardized, nor can the livelihood of thousands be destroyed, due to allegations affecting a few.
Former Justice Questions the “Grounds”
Following the verdict, all eyes were on Abhijit Gangopadhyay. Speaking to the media, he questioned the “ground” or basis on which the jobs were retained. He argued that the reasoning provided by the Division Bench is debatable.
Drawing a parallel with the School Service Commission (SSC) case, he pointed out that 26,000 jobs were cancelled in a similar corruption case. He stated, “Those 26,000 employees had also worked for many years. Does that mean the previous verdict was wrong? I believe that merely working for a long time cannot be a ground to overlook corruption or retain a job.”
While he maintained that the Division Bench has the authority to judge and has done what it deemed right, he refrained from making further comments on the judicial process, simply stating that as a judge, he had done what he believed was correct at the time.
SSC vs. Primary: A Comparative View
Former Justice Gangopadhyay repeatedly compared the Primary case with the SSC case. Based on the source, here is a comparison of the two scenarios:
| Details | Primary Teachers Case | SSC Case |
|---|---|---|
| Order of Cancellation | Former Justice Gangopadhyay ordered the cancellation of 32,000 jobs. | Justice Gangopadhyay had ordered the cancellation of 26,000 jobs. |
| Current Status | The Division Bench has retained the jobs. | The Supreme Court cancelled the entire 2016 panel and ordered fresh recruitment. |
| Basis of Verdict | Humanitarian grounds and 9 years of service record were considered. | The panel was cancelled due to proven corruption in the process. |
The Road Ahead
In the SSC case, the matter escalated from the Calcutta High Court to the Supreme Court, resulting in the cancellation of the entire panel and a directive for the Commission to organize a fresh recruitment process, which is currently underway. However, the scenario is distinctly different for the primary teachers. In this instance, the Division Bench has prioritized humanitarian grounds and the long duration of service.
Abhijit Gangopadhyay remains firm in his stance, reiterating that his initial judgment was based on his conviction of justice. Nevertheless, the retention of 32,000 jobs has undoubtedly become a major topic of discussion in the state’s political and educational spheres.
